The Senate confirmed both Adm. Timothy Keating and Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor Renuart Jr. on March 19 for their new posts as head of US Pacific Command and NORAD/US Northern Command, respectively. The two successfully passed a March 8 confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Advance questions for Renuart, who also will add a fourth star, included ones on his views of National Guard employment and whether the No. 2 spot at NORTHCOM should go to a Guardsman. Renuart believes seeking the “best qualified” is the right approach.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.