The appetite for Air Force intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products over the last 10 years has mushroomed an astonishing 3,500 percent, due mostly to operations in Southwest Asia—where a change in mindset has seen the Air Force transition from largely taking “snapshots” to one where it builds “patterns of life” by gathering and assimilating massive amounts of imagery, data, and video, said Brig. Gen. (select) Mark Westergren, director of plans, strategy, doctrine, and force development for the Air Staff’s ISR shop. Speaking at a Washington D.C. defense industry conference Thursday, Westergren said a key to this enterprise is the Air Force’s fleet of remotely piloted vehicles. The Air Staff is scrutinizing some key requirements for the modernization of its MQ-1 Predators, MQ-9 Reapers, and RQ-4 Global Hawks in the years ahead—as well as the next generation of RPAs. Specifically, USAF wants to boost its long-endurance RPA performance but without sinking inordinate amounts of money.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
