Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Air Force Academy cadets that he doesn’t foresee any more major weapons program cancellations happening in the next year or two. “I think we’re in pretty good place right now because of the measures that we’ve taken over the last couple of years, ” he said in response to a cadet’s question following his address last week in Colorado Springs. He added. “But we’ll just have to see how serious the budget situation gets.” Gates said the Pentagon has “done a good job of imposing some discipline internally” to cut or curtail redundant and non-performing acquisition projects. Of the 33 major programmatic changes that he proposed to Congress in 2009, DOD has been able to implement 32 so far, he said. Other than the proposed termination of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle in Fiscal 2012, only the F136 engine’s fate remains unresolved, he said. (Gates transcript)
The Air Force has approved Airmen to start training with the EA-37B Compass Call Mission Crew Simulator, BAE Systems announced. The system will provide realistic training and mission rehearsal for EA-37B crews, who perform long-range electromagnetic warfare missions.
