The word on the ground at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday is that Gen. Philip Breedlove, US Air Forces in Europe commander, is emerging as a leading candidate to become President Obama’s new nominee to be the next NATO supreme allied commander for Europe and also head US European Command. The President’s need for a new nominee came about on Feb. 19 after Marine Corps Gen. John Allen announced that he would retire from the military and step away from his nomination to take on those leadership posts. Stay tuned for more on this topic.
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.