The Air Force is funding long range strike in three phases. Phase one is to upgrade the existing bomber fleet’s capabilities and make them easier to operate. Phase two will be the 2018 platform that will reap today’s state of the art in technology. A third phase will be a 2035 capability that will exploit anticipated—but not yet mature—technologies like hypersonics. An analysis of alternatives now underway will determine the nature of the 2018 solution. In Fiscal 2008 for long range strike, USAF plans to spend $802 million, of which about half funds existing bomber mods.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.