Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) wants the US to recognize the “urgency” of the China space threat, given its recent successful shootdown of one of its own satellites. Speaking at a Heritage Foundation forum in Washington this week, Kyl said that the Iraq situation has diverted attention from a significant threat. Last week, a top Chinese military official said weapons in space is inevitable. Kyl is urging Congress and the Administration to provide additional funding to the Air Force next year to ensure the nation gets “serious about space security.”
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
