The Air Force has been patiently waiting for the Army and Marine Corps to lay out their expansion plans, so USAF can make its own plans for both airlift and personnel needs. Recent news that the Army planned to accelerate its expansion seemed to offer hope USAF might get the data it needs, however Art Pine of the National Journal reports that defense analysts don’t believe the Army can meet its new schedule or will soon know, with any certainty, its future force structure requirements.
Congress wants new engines in the F-35 fleet, with installs starting in 2027, according to language in the conference version of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The Air Force is to use at least one of the engines developed under the Advanced Engine Transition Program, but the Navy and…