Lawmakers prodded Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace during the House Armed Services Committee budget hearing Feb. 7 to review the bidding on the Pentagon decision not to purchase any more new C-17 strategic airlifters. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) called the present situation “somewhat of an airlift crisis” considering the ongoing need to project forces. Pace maintained that the determination to limit C-17s to 180 is still right and that last year’s Congressional add of 10 airframes more than takes care of losses through excessive use. Tauscher was not deterred, though, coming right back with: “We know we’re going to need more C-17s.” She urged Gates and Pace to keep the C-17 “line warm.”
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
