Adm. William Fallon on March 12 relinquished command of US Pacific Command, leaving it in the hands of Air Force Gen. Daniel Leaf, PACOM deputy commander. Fallon’s presumed successor, Adm. Timothy Keating, current head of NORAD and US Northern Command, faced the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 8 but has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. Fallon is on his way to lead US Central Command.
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.