The AirSea Battle concept of operations is about the Navy and Air Force achieving “better persistence in contested spaces for both our services, with less risk,” summarized Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz Tuesday. Meeting with reporters after his speech at AFA’s Air & Space Conference, Schwartz said that while both services are taking this line of discussion very seriously, they are not merging, and the Air Force won’t be “subsumed” by the Navy, or vice-versa. The concepts being discussed emphasize that neither service should duplicate the other’s efforts, although it’s “not about programs, specifically,” Schwartz said. Schwartz also noted that he expects Air Force officers to fly on the Navy’s new two-seat EA-18G Growler jamming airplanes; an arrangement that was supposed to dry up when the Navy retired its four-seat EA-6B Prowlers.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.