The Air Force had successfully launched 47 consecutive military payloads, noted Lt. Gen. Mike Hamel, commander of Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center. Speaking Friday at AFA’s Space Symposium, Hamel said that another launch was scheduled for that day. Shortly thereafter at the symposium, Roger Krone, president of Boeing’s network and space systems, confirmed that the 48th launch had indeed taken place as scheduled. A Boeing Delta II at 2:12 p.m. EST on Nov. 17 boosted the Lockheed Martin-built Global Positioning System Block IIR-16M satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. It was the second replenishment GPS boosted into orbit this fall.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.