Gen. William Looney, head of Air Education and Training Command, sat down with Air Force magazine during AFA’ Orlando symposium to talk about changes to some of the Air Force’s training programs, including a new approach that will shorten the year-long undergraduate flight training program. AETC plans to take advantage of simulation improvements for the T-6 and the T-38C that will teach instrument and GPS skills without having to fly, Looney said. He believes there also will be course modifications to streamline and improve advanced fighter, bomber, and tanker/airlift pilot training.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.