With the US hurricane season officially starting on June 1, the military’s relief efforts are prepped and ready, Adm. Timothy Keating told members of the media attending a US Northern Command Hurricane Preparation Day. Calling last year’s Hurricane Katrina the “first real acid test” for NORTHCOM, Keating said the organization has worked hard to learn a lot from last year’s hurricane season. He added that the command has drafted “prescripted mission assignments” for 18 common capabilities, including damage assessment, medical evacuation, and distribution points—all of which should reduce the time it takes for the military to get requested assets where they need to go.
Air Force senior statesmen explained the reasons they jointly sent a letter to Congress urging restoration of the E-7 Wedgetail and more F-35s to the fiscal 2026 defense budget.