The Senate on May 21 confirmed Gen. William Fraser III to retain four stars and head Air Combat Command, so the Shreveport Times was right (see below Musical Chairs). (There has been no public announcement on Fraser’s nomination by the Air Force or DOD.) Fraser, who became Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force last fall, will replace Gen. John Corley, who has led ACC since October 2007 and who plans to retire this summer.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.