Although “there is no alternative” to the F-35, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said he doesn’t believe it must be acquired “at any cost.” In a press conference, Schwartz said “I don’t believe in anything ‘at any cost,’” but he quickly added that “Lockheed’s got to perform,” and the Air Force has to manage the F-35A responsibly. “We’re concerned about cost of operation,” Schwartz said, and said he’s satisfied that Lockheed Martin is taking it seriously, too. Schwartz noted that the C-17 was once “a very troubled program” and went on to be the “premiere airlift program on the planet.” Schwartz said, “I think the F-35 has the potential of following in that path.”
As the Space Force prepares to field new fleets of satellites that can track moving targets in the air and on the ground, it’s working to ensure it has the organizational structures in place to onboard and operate those systems.
