Weather scientists say the US is on the upswing of a 30-year up-and-down cycle of hurricanes, as evidenced by the bumper crop of powerful storms over the last three years. Gen. William Looney, head of Air Education and Training Command, says, however, that this has apparently not been considered in decisions about basing in the Gulf region. “I have heard no discussion at the official level about not rebuilding Keesler” or not going forward with plans to locate all F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training at Eglin (AFB, Fla.), Looney said. Until told otherwise, “we’re moving ahead to reconstitute Keesler.”
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.