Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the House Armed Services Committee Feb. 7 that he “has a problem” with elevating the National Guard Bureau chief to a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of “unity of command issues.” He is, however, “very open to the possibility” of giving the NGB chief a fourth star. The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves expects to make its report to Congress on this issue by March 1.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.