There is a need for the US military to increase capability in the Asia-Pacific region, said Gen. Hawk Carlisle, Pacific Air Forces commander. While budget sequestration has complicated this task, there are core areas, such as long-range reach, that demand attention, Carlisle told attendees at AFA’s Air and Space Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Sept. 18. The F-35 strike fighter, KC-46A tanker, and Long Range Strike Bomber are all key to PACAF’s strategy to support future plans, he said. How the Air Force conducts next-generation intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance is one of the biggest challenges in the region, said Carlisle. This is not just a platform issue, he noted, since it also involves working out information sharing activity with friends and partners in the region and jointly conducting processing, exploitation, and dissemination activities with treaty allies like Japan, he said. (See also Air Defense and Access in Asia.)
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
April 3, 2025
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.