According to Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog, head of USAF’s Air and Space Expeditionary Center, the Air Force experiment of moving airmen into Southwest Asia by “aggregated flight processes” using chartered commercial flights has taken the guesswork out of deployments. Now, he said, it is time to tackle the “single ticket program” for airmen who are leaving the region. Beyond making such travel more predictable, the Air Force expects to “drastically” cut down on travel time. Hoog said he expects growing pains, but those lessons learned should improve the program in the long run.
Reports of production troubles on the SpaceX rocket that could contend for military cargo deliveries happened to coincide with a different company’s concept receiving an early nod—one that might not require a rocket at all.