President Obama nominated Lt. Gen. David Goldfein for a fourth star and reassignment as Air Force vice chief of staff, announced service officials on Tuesday. Goldfein, the Joint Staff’s director since August 2013, would succeed Gen. Larry Spencer, who has been vice chief since July 2012 and is retiring from the Air Force after more than 35 years in uniform, according to the officials. Goldfein is a command pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours in airplanes including the F-16, F-117, and MC-12. As vice chief, he would assist the Chief of Staff with organizing, training, and equipping airmen and Air Force civilian employees. He would also preside over the Air Staff and represent the Air Force on the Pentagon’s Joint Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy Advisory Working Group.
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.