Representatives from the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy convened the first interservice board to develop intelligence training for the F-35, the Air Force announced. The Air Force’s Intelligence Realistic Training Review Board meets twice a year to modify the F-35 intelligence curriculum. The most recent meeting, which ended Dec. 2, was the first time Marines and sailors worked with the Air Force in such a forum, according to an Air Education and Training Command release. “It is important to get all of the community [subject matter experts] together one more time before the airframe goes [to initial operational capability] … so we can get a good solution for intelligence training requirements,” said Air Force Capt. Stephanie Fraioli, F-35A integrated formal training unit course chief for the 33rd Operations Support Squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla., which hosted the event. The board focused on new needs for the F-35 training, such as how to dual qualify airmen on both the F-35 and F-16 at Hill AFB, Utah. Because the three services will fly the F-35, there is a need to develop “comprehensive intelligence support” for the aircraft, according to the release.
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.
