The British vote to leave the European Union likely won’t have a significant effect on the Air Force, US Air Forces in Europe chief Gen. Frank Gorenc said Monday. In a telephone interview, Gorenc, who is retiring in July, said “for me, at my level, with respect to working with the British [air arms], I see very, very little effect” on USAFE as a result of the Brexit. There may be some effects “economically,” and those are still to be seen, but the relationship between USAF and Britain’s air arms “has been strong for decades” and “I believe will continue to be strong, and … we’re going to pursue the great capability that we have in the air together.” So far, the only effect the vote has had in the relationship is that “it’s the only thing that they’re talking about now in Europe,” Gorenc said, while there remain pressing security issues to discuss. He expects the Brexit will be a major talking point at the NATO Summit in Warsaw two weeks from now, but he doesn’t anticipate any major NATO air adjustments as a result. (See also: Set Sail for Brigadoom.)
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
