Former head of US Transportation Command, retired Air Force Gen. John Handy, says that dismantling the C-17 production line now will limit America’s ability to “adequately support the war against terrorists.” Writing in the Los Angeles Times Friday, Handy maintains that DOD has failed to support USAF’s top unfunded priority and faces spending “many more dollars in the long run” should it belatedly realize it needs more than 180 of the new airlifters. Handy still believes that the pre-9/11 requirement for 222 C-17s is not sufficient to meet today’s elevated airlift needs. His letter ran the same day Boeing announced it has ordered its C-17 subcontractors to shut down (see below).
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.