Four small aircraft came under scrutiny of USAF F-16s patrolling the restricted air space around Air Force One during President Bush’s southern California visit on Monday. All were flown by private pilots, who later said they were unaware of flight notices about the trip, according to the Associated Press. The F-16s had to fire flares to catch the attention of two and radioed the other two. All four aircraft were directed to land at nearby fields. All in a day’s work for crews of the four-year-old Operation Noble Eagle.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
