Ever since the England memo (see above) hit the services in mid-October, many have speculated how the Air Force would respond. Some thought USAF might choose to kill off an expensive space program or two. Others thought further cuts to legacy aircraft might be in store. Now comes word of another option: Heavy infrastructure cuts, leaving programs intact. That, at least, is what a top Air Force official told the well-informed defense newsletter, Inside the Air Force. The plan is encapsulated in the Nov. 11 issue (requires subscription), under John T. Bennett’s byline. Whether DOD will accept USAF’s suggestions will be determined in a series of late November budget meetings.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.