USAF Brig. Gen. Walter Givhan, who has headed the Combined Air Power Transition Force in Afghanistan, told Pentagon reporters last week that his entity’s short-term goal has been to get Afghan airmen engaged in combat operations, primarily handling some mobility missions, using older Russian fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. However, he noted that the fledgling Afghan air corps is poised to achieve initial operational capability with its Mi-35 attack helicopter force, making them available to engage in air strikes. Although, Givhan said that initially they would not engage in “full-fledged, close air support type roles.” Continue
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…


