The Air Force is planning to send F-35s on a security rotation to Europe as early as next year, Air Combat Command boss Gen. Hawk Carlisle? said July 7 at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England. The F-35s will be deployable in the coming months, and Carlisle said he is confident he can send the aircraft to Europe, the Pacific, or the Middle East soon after reaching initial operational capability (IOC), which could happen as early as August. “We have a plan that would get them deployed to a rotational capability in a period of time,” Carlisle said during a speech at the airshow, which was posted on Youtube. F-35s have performed well in tests leading up to IOC, and once they reach the deployable milestone, Carlisle said he would send them overseas “in a heartbeat.” While the aircraft have dealt with several delays, largely focusing on the jet’s software and automated logistics system, those delays are “not a limiting factor” right now, Carlisle said, according to Reuters.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
