Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, last week asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to make his retirement (i.e, forced resignation) effective on Aug. 1. But in the same June 5 letter, Moseley states that he intends to request terminal leave before his departure. What isn’t clear is when exactly his last day will be. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already recommended Gen. Norton Schwartz to replace Moseley. But Schwartz still needs to be formally nominated by the White House and then approved by the Senate. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, who resigned on the same day as Moseley, is expected to have his successor in place sooner than later. Gates asked President Bush to make Wynne’s would-be replacement, Michael Donley, the Acting Secretary, effective June 21. That way he could assume the post for the interim prior to Senate approval. June 21 is a Saturday and two days after the Government Accountability Office is expected to rule on Boeing’s protest of USAF’s KC-X tanker decision.
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.