The US military hasn’t focused enough on electronic warfare in recent years, US Strategic Command nominee Gen. John Hyten said Tuesday. “I look at it in my own service, where the electronic warfare missions in the United States Air Force have not had as significant a priority as many of the other areas as we’ve done, especially the last 15 years of conflict in the Middle East,” he told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing. Hyten, who currently commands Air Force Space Command, pledged to review the Pentagon’s EW capabilities and ability to control the electromagnetic spectrum if he commands STRATCOM. If confirmed by the Senate, Hyten will replace Adm. Cecil Haney, who has been at the helm since 2014. (See also: Leading EW Out of the Wilderness from the June 2016 issue of Air Force Magazine.)
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…