Maj. Gen. Frank Faykes, USAF’s deputy assistant secretary for budget, says that the estimated cost to get cut some 40,000 full-time positions—shedding military and civilian personnel—could amount to about $500 million. However, he told attendees Tuesday at AFA’s Air & Space Conference in Washington that the savings potential is huge. For every 10,000 airmen cut, USAF will save a billion dollars, explained Faykes. He cautioned, though, that the Air Force would not know a concrete figure until the drawdown is complete, in 2009.
The Space Development Agency is set to launch 21 Tranche 1 data transport satellites on Oct. 5—its fourth Tranche 1 mission since last fall and the first to carry Northrop Grumman-built satellites.