Gen. Tom Hobbins, US Air Forces in Europe commander, has spent the past three days in Russia, where he has flown in an Su-27 and MiG-29—a payback for F-15E rides provided two top Russian Air Force generals. Hobbins called the aircraft “meticulously maintained” and “very good.” Also on the agenda was a visit to the US embassy in Moscow, as well as Victory Park, a World War II monument dedicated to the victory over Nazi Germany. His trip concludes today.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III rebuffed criticism that the F-35 program has proved too costly and unreliable to serve as the viable backbone of America’s and allies' future fighter fleet on April 30. “I would not categorize the F-35 as a paperweight,” Austin said in response to questioning…