Gen. Michael Moseley, speaking at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Wednesday, said that the Air Force’s top five acquisition priorities (the next-generation tanker, new search and rescue helicopter, space systems, the F-35, and the next-generation bomber) are “but a step in the right direction.” The Air Force’s top uniformed official said that worldwide requirements “demand that we purchase more C-130Js, the Joint Cargo Aircraft, [and] more and better medium and high altitude unmanned aerial vehicles,” among other things.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.