Will the Air Force see 222 C-17s? That’s the number the service has often stated as being the minimum required to fulfill airlift requirements. The currently funded number is 180 C-17s. But Jumper said, “anything beyond 180 is part of the discussion” for both the capabilities study and the QDR. The answer could center on whether the Pentagon does decide to incorporate tankers into the lift-carrying equation.
The Air Force conducted its first successful test of the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, on May 14, snapping a streak of three consecutive failed tests and giving the beleaguered hypersonics program a much needed boost. Off the coast of Southern California, the AGM-183A ARRW separated from the wing…