We’re told that the Air Force still intends to host its nuclear summit next Thursday (Sept. 18), likely at Bolling AFB, D.C. But now, instead of a venue where service leaders roll out the implementation plan for rebuilding USAF’s nuclear enterprise, the summit will serve as the forum for making the decisions on the path ahead. The Air Force now anticipates rollout of the implementation plan after the four-star Corona summit that is scheduled for early October. Also, though eyed primarily as an internal pow-wow of key service leaders, the summit now may include Office of the Secretary of Defense and interagency officials, Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Aptekar tells the Daily Report.
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.