President Obama has nominated Maj. Gen. Darrell Jones for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general for his new assignment overseeing manpower and personnel issues on the Air Staff, the Defense Department announced Thursday. Jones will replace Lt. Gen Richard Newton, who’s been tapped to be the next assistant vice chief of staff. Jones has led the Air Force District of Washington at Andrews AFB, Md., since November 2009. Prior to that, for nearly two years, he was director of force management policy within the deputy chief of staff office for manpower and personnel that he is now selected to head. The Senate must approve Jones’ promotion to lieutenant general.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.