The congressionally mandated National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force holds its first public hearing. Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis McCarthy is chairman of the eight- member panel, and former Air Force Undersecretary Erin Conaton is the vice chair. Lawmakers created the panel to address concerns over USAF’s force structure plans for its reserve components. Congress directed the commission to provide a report with its recommendations by Feb. 1, 2014.
The Pentagon is considering ditching the Air Force’s plan to buy the E-7 Wedgetail as it looks to outsource the airborne target-tracking mission to space, defense officials indicated this week.