There may still be some friction between the Air Force and the ground forces, particularly the Army, over USAF’s bid to become executive agent for higher-flying unmanned aerial vehicles, but the air and sea services have come together as “strategic forces” brethren. The top military leaders for both services met last week to talk about such things as the future of joint electronic attack and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance issues. They identified some “joint solutions” in what Gen. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff, characterized as “frank conversations.” For his part, the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Michael Mullen, who was just confirmed to be the next JCS Chairman, said the talks would center on “the thing I care most about—warfighting.”
The U.S. military is carrying out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions along the southern border and off the coast of Mexico using U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint and U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft as part of the Pentagon’s effort to secure the southern border at the direction of President…