DOD has formally activated the Defense Media Activity, which will consolidate, per BRAC 2005, all the internal information functions within the department and services at Ft. Meade, Md., by 2011. That includes the Air Force News Agency and former Army/Air Force Hometown News Service (already renamed as the Joint Hometown News Service), currently located in San Antonio. According to Robert Hastings, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, the operational concept is still a work in progress, but DOD expects DMA to “improve efficiencies in the back office.” DMA will operate under the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. (AFPS report by Army SSgt. Michael Carden) (More information and renderings of the new DMA facility on the DMA Web site)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
