The Senate has confirmed Lt. Gen. Howie Chandler to receive a fourth star and take charge of Pacific Air Forces. The President nominated Chandler in the spring to replace Gen. Paul Hester, who is to formally retire Jan. 1. PACAF has scheduled the change of command for Nov. 30.
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.