The Air National Guard this week held the first of what they believe should be an annual Domestic Operations Essential Requirements conference, at which Air Guard planners began work toward a “formal document” that will help shape the Air Force’s future resource requirements, said Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt III, ANG director. Wyatt told attendees, “We will use your work here to push for modernization and equipment.” Although this was primarily an Air Guard event, Wyatt said he hopes to bring in the Army National Guard in the future. Air Force Maj. Gen. Donald Fick, acting Joint Staff director at the National Guard Bureau, called the conference “great,” noting that the National Guard in the past was at the “end of the food chain” but now gets “to plan a program for homeland defense, which is our number one priority.” (NGB report by TSgt. Nick Choy)
The Air Force will likely award a contract or contracts for the first increment of Collaborative Combat Aircraft in late September or early October, sources familiar with the program said. It’s not yet been decided if the Air Force will carry one or both of its Increment 1 competitors—Anduril and…