Kyrgyzstan officials have decided that the Air Force KC-135 aircrew was at fault when a Kyrgyz Tu-154 airliner grazed the wing of the refueling aircraft in late September. The Russian News & Information Agency reports that the Kyrgyz government is seeking monetary damages from the US. There is no word yet from the Air Force about the results of a “joint” investigation.
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.