Deterrence Will Suffer

It’s “pretty clear there’s going to be some degradation” in readiness across Air Force Global Strike Command if the Air Force must accommodate to either another budget continuing resolution or the budget sequester, said AFGSC chief Lt. Gen. James Kowalski....

Air Force Revises Projected KC-46A Usage Rates

The Air Force informed Congress this week that it has increased the planned lifecycle flying hours for its future fleet of 179 KC-46A tankers, and added some 60 additional aircrews that it will assign to these airplanes, in order to...

New Strategic Stuff

There’s an operational requirements document for the new Long-Range Strike Bomber program, according to Air Force Global Strike Command boss Lt. Gen. James Kowalski. He told defense reporters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6 that both Air Combat Command chief...

Back to Guam

A brace of B-2 stealth bombers is back on Guam after a long absence, and that’s exactly why they’re there, Air Force Global Strike Command chief Lt. Gen. James Kowalski told defense reporters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “It’s been...

Legislative Madness

Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday blasted Congress for even toying with the idea of sequestration, calling the across-the-board defense budget cuts “legislative madness.” Speaking to students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., on Feb 6, Panetta said sequestration...

Deja Vu

If sequestration takes effect in March, the Defense Department will face a $35 billion shortfall in operating funds in the fiscal year, said outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday. During a speech to students at Georgetown University in Washington,...

New START: Don’t Salt Before Tasting

The Obama Administration is likely to try circumventing Congress to cut the US nuclear arsenal below the levels stipulated by the New START agreement with Russia, said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) on Wednesday. “There are a number of reasons to...

Warm Silos to Cool Overenthusiasm

The United States shouldn’t hastily cut deployed nuclear forces ahead of the schedule agreed to under the New START deal with Russia, said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) on Wednesday. Reductions to reach the treaty’s caps on warhead and launcher levels...

The One Percenters

The Pentagon will ask Congress for a one percent pay raise in Fiscal 2014 for uniformed members of the US military, said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday. “No one is getting a pay cut, but we will provide a...

Assembly Under Way on 100th F-35

Lockheed Martin announced that its technicians are installing the wings on the 100th F-35 strike fighter built to date on the company’s production line in Fort Worth, Tex. This airframe is an Air Force F-35A model, designated AF-41, that is...