Africa Command on the Way

Feb. 7, 2007

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Senators today that President Bush has decided to constitute an Africa Command. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Administration’s 2008 defense budget request, Gates said the current construct—dividing responsibility among three unified command—is an “outdated arrangement left over from the Cold War.” The Pentagon plans to work with Congress and allies on setting up the new command.

Related Content

Juneteenth Holiday

June 17, 2021
President Joe Biden on June 17 signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day, designating June 19 a national holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States 156 years ago. With June 19 falling on a Saturday this year, the federal government will observe the holiday June…

DOD Leaders Want More Arctic Funding, But Not Right Now

June 17, 2021
The Pentagon’s 2022 budget is light on funding for the Arctic, though Defense Department officials want that to change in future funding requests as it develops a new strategy that will take into account the growing importance of the region. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, testifying before the Senate…

B-52 Re-Engining Cost Up 9% Due to Fresh Data, ‘Industrial ‘Realities’

June 17, 2021
The total program cost of re-engining the B-52H fleet of 76 airplanes will be about $11 billion, a 9 percent jump over a previous estimate because of more-up-to-date data. Acting Air Force Secretary John P. Roth told the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 17 that recent press reports of…

Pentagon Reviewing Deceptive Air Force ‘Pass Through’ Budget Account

June 17, 2021
The Defense Department is reviewing the "pass through" budget idiosyncrasy that makes the Air Force's spending levels look nearly a fifth larger than they really are, acting department Secretary John P. Roth told the Senate Armed Services Committee. The sticking point is that changing the attribution of the money may…

A U.S. Space Force Academy? Raymond Weighs In

June 17, 2021
Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond on June 17 said the creation of a new service academy for the U.S. Space Force is not necessary, instead saying he is “comfortable” with the relationship with the U.S. Air Force Academy. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) raised the possibility of…

USAF, Boeing Resolving Two More KC-46 Deficiencies

June 17, 2021
The Air Force and Boeing are addressing two additional Category I deficiencies on the KC-46, in addition to the four remaining problems that face the aircraft’s refueling system. The previously unannounced issues are with the aircrafts receptacle drain line tubes and issues with the Flight Management Instability, the Air Force…

USAF Reaches Out to Industry for ‘Bridge Tanker’

June 16, 2021
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center on June 16 issue a call to determine which companies could provide a “bridge tanker” to cover the gap in tanker capacity between the end of KC-46 production and development of a future refueler. The Sources Sought Announcement seeks qualified, interested companies that…

F-16s, C-130s, KC-135s Training in Morocco for Exercise African Lion

June 16, 2021
Several Air Force aircraft including F-16s, C-130s, and KC-135s have deployed to northern Africa for the continent’s largest exercise involving 7,000 participants from nine nations. The African Lion exercise wraps up June 18, with USAF aircraft flying alongside Moroccan aircraft in close air support training and C-130s airdropping personnel in…