Lt. Gen. William Etter assumed command of the Continental US NORAD Region-1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) during a ceremony at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Etter, an Air National Guardsman, took the reins from Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke during the March 7 change-of-command ceremony, according to Tyndall’s March 8 release. “I am looking forward to working with all of you,” said Etter to the team of Active Duty airmen, Air Guardsman, Air Force Reservists, interagency personnel, and Canadian military members who staff the two organizations. Etter previously served as the assistant to the Joint Chiefs Chairman for National Guard matters. “Lieutenant General Etter arrives at this command with a robust level of experience and he gets things done,” said Clarke in praising his successor. “I can’t think of a better officer to replace me here at CONR-1st Air Force.” Clark, who led the two organizations since Aug. 2011, is moving on to become the Air National Guard director. He’s scheduled to take command on March 22, according to the Air Guard’s website. Army Gen. Charles Jacoby, NORAD commander and US Northern Command boss, officiated the Tyndall ceremony.
The F-47 fighter will be run differently than previous fighter programs and share the same mission systems architecture as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told the Senate Armed Services Committee. That means advances in one will fuel advances in the other.