The Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday approved the nomination of Heather Wilson to be the next Secretary of the Air Force with a vote of 22 to 5. The nomination now moves to the full Senate for a vote. Wilson is a former Republican congresswoman from New Mexico, president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and a 1982 Air Force Academy graduate. During her confirmation hearing she urged Congress to repeal sequestration budget caps, and vowed to work with industry to get the best deal on a variety of USAF acquisition programs.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.