Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday that he does not anticipate the nation moving to a smaller sized B-52H bomber fleet as a consequence of the START follow-on agreement with Russia. “I do not foresee a reduction in B-52 force structure if there is an adjustment to nuclear tasking,” as part of the forthcoming arms control agreement, he said in response to questions from Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). Thune said he was concerned over comments made in February by Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen indicating that bomber force reductions were under consideration. But in the event of a lower nuclear requirement for the BUFF fleet, Schwartz said the aircraft would still be needed in current numbers for their conventional taskings. The Air Force has 76 B-52s today, along with 66 B-1Bs and 20 B-2A bombers.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
