As the Air Force starts to bring new space systems online, the focus should remain on affordability and reliability, David Thompson, CEO and co-founder of Orbital Sciences Corp., said at AFA’s Global Warfare Symposium in Los Angeles. He suggested disaggregating the technology base and investing in smaller, less complicated platforms with one or two payload systems on board. “Then our supply chains become more efficient and it will make the products more affordable,” Thompson told symposium attendees during the Nov. 18 industry panel.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.