President Obama has nominated Lt. Gen. Larry James to oversee intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance matters on the Air Staff, USAF officials announced Wednesday. If the Senate approves this nomination, James would fill the void left by the departure of Lt. Gen. David Deptula from that post. Deptula formally retires from the Air Force on Oct. 1. James has been in charge of 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic-Space) at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., since December 2008. To replace James at 14th AF, Obama has selected Maj. Gen. Susan Helms, who would be promoted to the grade of lieutenant general, if the Senate goes along. Helms has been US Strategic Command’s director of plans and policy at Offutt AFB, Neb., since November 2008.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.