Col. Paul Tibbets IV, one of the few pilots qualified to fly all three of the Air Force’s bomber types, was selected for the grade of brigadier general and to serve as deputy director of nuclear operations at US Strategic Command headquarters at Offutt AFB, Neb. Tibbets currently serves as deputy director of operations at Air Force Global Strike Command headquarters at Barksdale AFB, La.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.