Does the Pentagon have the right to shift Air National Guard units and missions without consulting individual states? “Yes, it does,” said the Justice Department in a special Aug. 10 opinion on the matter. The opinion, however, isn’t likely to cut much ice with the Guard and the Governors, given that Justice serves as the Pentagon’s lawyer in lawsuits filed by the states on this very issue.
Expanded production of the B-21 bomber can be accomplished at Northrop Grumman's existing Palmdale, Calif., facilities, the Air Force said. It also said test aircraft will be so simular to the production version that early examples could be used in combat if called for.