The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Gen. Paul Selva to be vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Gen. Darren McDew to replace him at US Transportation Command. “During his tenure at Scott [AFB, Ill.], General Selva has distinguished himself as a strong, capable leader,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense panel, in a statement released July 27. “Although we will miss having him in Illinois, I look forward to working with General Selva in his new role here in Washington, D.C. I congratulate him on his swift and unanimous confirmation in the Senate.” The Senate also confirmed Lt. Gen. Carlton Everhart, commander of 18th Air Force, for a fourth star and assignment as commander of Air Mobility Command, where he will replace McDew. Noticeably missing from the confirmation list was Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford who has been tapped to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain told Politico a hold had been placed on his nomination, though McCain said the hold did not have anything to do with Dunford’s qualifications but ?rather “information the senator hadn’t received.” He declined to name the senator who placed the hold.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.