In addition to increasing fighter pilot production, the Air Force also intends to “normalize the MC-12”, maintain mobility pilot inventory at sustainable levels, and “scrub” rated requirements based on “inventory realities,” wrote Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in a Nov. 2 letter to major commands and the Air Staff outlining decisions made at a recent Rated Summit. “Your continued candor and willingness to make the tough calls will help to ensure the viability and sustainability of our rated force as we work to rebalance the rated training pipeline,” wrote Schwartz (See above). “We must move quickly on these decisions in order to synchronize with other major programmatic efforts.” Future summits, which Schwartz said should be conducted on a more regular basis, will look at how force structure changes are impacting the health of the rated force, he wrote. (Schwartz letter)
Sierra Nevada Corp. has acquired five ex-Korean Air 747-8 jumbo jets on which it will host the Survivable Airborne Operations Center. The jets will be transferred next year and will serve as the platforms for the SAOC, the $13 billion contract for which SNC won last month. The jets were…