The Air Force is dedicated to finding a “long-term vision” with its African partners, while working on a short-term solution to the string of instability and violence that spread throughout the African continent in recent months, said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, Tuesday. “We understand that you are concerned with the ongoing dangerous cycle of poverty, instability, conflict, environmental degradation, disease, and other challenges that can serve to erode confidence in national institutions, governance, and socio-economic opportunity,” Schwartz said in his keynote address at the African Chiefs Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Regional cooperation and mutual responsibility and respect will be keys to countering such threats, he said. “Because all of these challenges threaten development in Africa, cause hardship to her peoples, and can, in turn, disrupt global stability and a range of US interests, we share these concerns with you,” he stated. (Schwartz speech) (See also Associated Press report via the Houston Chronicle)
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.