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Verbatim
March 23, 2022
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Never Satisfied
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy March 2, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Office of the President of Ukraine
Everyone thinks that we are far away from America or Canada. No, we are in this zone of freedom. And when the limits of rights and freedoms are being violated and stepped on, then you have to protect us. Because we will come first. You will come second. Because the more this beast will eat, he wants more, more, and more.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, interview with ABC news, March 7.
Money Well Spent
All but five years of the United States Air Force’s life as a service, there’s always been a B-52. … And guess what, there will be a B-52 until 2050.
Gen. Anthony J. Cotton at the AFA Warfare Symposium (AWS) in Orlando, Fla., March 3.
That’s Not a Good Boy
I feel like a chew toy between different combatant commanders where they’re pulling and asking for more Air Force capability to go to different places. Because the Air Force is the one service that can get there faster than anybody else, except for the space portion.USAF CSAF Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., at AWS March 3.
Technology for $200, Alex
CMSAF Joanne Bass at the AFA Warfare Symposium in March. Mike Tsukamoto/staff
I am hopeful that we are actually going to [digitize] WAPS testing. Like, it is 2022, if we can’t get out of taking a No. 2 pencil into promotion tests, something is wrong.CMSAF JoAnne S. Bass, March 3 at AWS.
On Second Thought …
Mr. Putin says that he doesn’t want a strong NATO on his western flank. He’s getting exactly that. … I can honestly say that I have never seen the alliance more relevant and more united and more resolute than I see it today.Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, press conference after NATO Defense Ministerial, Feb. 17.
Hard Labor
President Salome Zourabichvili. Office of the President of Georgia
Putin has already failed, because he has given birth to a monster: European power and European defense.Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia, quoted in the New York Times, March 2.
Peaceful Growth
We will advance the peaceful growth of relations across the Taiwan Strait and the reunification of China. We firmly oppose any separatist activities seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ and firmly oppose foreign interference.Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, address to Parliament, Reuters, March 5.
Upgrades Needed
U.S. Navy Adm. Charles Richard delivers testimony via Zoom from STRATCOM headquarters during a Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Hearing: “Fiscal Year 2023 Strategic Forces Posture Hearing” March 1, 2022, in Washington, DC. House Armed Services Committee
The strategic security environment is now a three-party nuclear near-peer reality. Our existing nuclear forces are the minimum required to achieve our national strategy. We must modernize and recapitalize the nation’s nuclear triad, nuclear command and control, nuclear complex, and supporting infrastructure to meet presidential objectives.Adm. Charles A. Richard, STRATCOM commander, HASC strategic forces subcommittee, March 1.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
The Air Force plans to start buying thousands of advanced new handheld radios in 2027 for downed aircrew to communicate with search-and-rescue forces, a capability spotlighted earlier this year during the recovery of two aviators shot down in Iran.
The Air Force says it has formed a plan with Boeing to get key upgrades deployed across the KC-46 tanker fleet faster—but the service acknowledged it won't start fielding the refueler’s upgraded vision system until 2028, a slight schedule slip.
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The Pentagon announced new long-term agreements with four defense companies May 13 to develop and produce large numbers of low-cost cruise missiles. And while the effort will focus mostly on the Army to start, it pairs with Air Force efforts to find more affordable munitions.
The Air Force wants to rapidly replace about two dozen MQ-9A Reaper drones lost during Operation Epic Fury against Iran, top service officials told lawmakers May 12.
The Air Force is placing Air Combat Command in charge of teaching combat tactics to fighter and remotely-piloted aircraft units, according to a May 12 announcement. Beginning this summer, the service will reassign the formal training units for the F-35, F-16, and MQ-9 from Air Education and Training Command to…
The cost of operations against Iran has risen to $29 billion, a senior Pentagon official told lawmakers May 12, a $4 billion increase from the Department of Defense’s last public estimate two weeks ago.
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