Air Force Gen. Lance Smith on Nov. 9 turned over leadership of Joint Forces Command and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation to Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis. Smith formally retires in January after 38 years of service. At the change of command, Smith called the work of the members of the two commands “remarkable,” saying the commands had “struck a good balance” between support for current operations and preparation for future security needs. He called Mattis “exactly the right man for the job.”
The Air Force wants to spend more than a half billion dollars through 2031 on a new protection system designed for cargo and refueling aircraft that features onboard sensors and weapons to track and take down enemy missiles and drones.