T
he Air Force has decided to create an air operations center with those Air National Guardsmen with the 102nd Fighter Wing at Otis ANGB, Mass., not already designated for a new intelligence mission. Last year, the service identified the 102nd FW, which loses its F-15 fighters under BRAC 2005, to run a Distributed Ground Station, but that new mission did not cover all the unit’s Air Guardsmen. The Boston Globe reports that the newest new mission will cover the remainder of the airmen, if they want to make the switch. The 102nd already has been sending airmen to training for the DGS operation, which earlier this year faced a shortage of construction funds. There was no indication from assorted elected officials that were on hand for the new mission announcement Sept. 16.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.