Lt. Gen. Daniel Darnell has been nominated to become deputy commander of US Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, the Defense Department announced May 11. He would remain a lieutenant general in that position. Darnell has been serving as deputy chief of staff for air, space, and information operations, plans and requirements since November 2007. He would replace Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser at PACOM. Fraser has been tapped for a fourth star to head US Southern Command.
A combined Navy and Air Force program is seeking to build a smaller version of a ubiquitous air-to-air missile that could give advanced aircraft, such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, greater magazine depth in a high-end fight.