Lt. Gen. Daniel Darnell has been nominated to become deputy commander of US Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, the Defense Department announced May 11. He would remain a lieutenant general in that position. Darnell has been serving as deputy chief of staff for air, space, and information operations, plans and requirements since November 2007. He would replace Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser at PACOM. Fraser has been tapped for a fourth star to head US Southern Command.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John F. Plumb warned lawmakers that Russia is developing an “indiscriminate” nuclear weapon to go in space, confirming reports from several months ago and describing potentially devastating effects in orbit.