Air Force Global Strike Command and Air Combat Command will continue to work “very closely” on bomber-related issues even after the former assumes responsibility next month from ACC for the B-2A and B-52H bomber fleets, says Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, AFGSC commander. Klotz told the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee on Jan. 21 that there will continue to be much “cross-flow” of information between the B-2 and B-52 communities and ACC’s conventional-only B-1B bomber force since they all operate multi-engine, large platforms with skill sets that are applicable across them. Further, ACC will continue to be the lead USAF organization for tasks like developing combat tactics and planning exercises in which the B-2s and B-52s will participate, he said. Also, B-1s will be invited to take part in AFGSC-sponsored bomber competitions that are being revived, said Klotz. (See T Minus Six)
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force has unveiled a new electronic warfare drone designed to fly with fighter jets into contested airspace, including alongside its fleet of F-35s. RAF says it plans to develop models that draw on the U.S. Air Force’s approach of mating unmanned systems with crewed platforms.