In addition to sharing its concerns with the Pentagon directly, the National Governors Association has appealed to Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Armed Services Committee, to forestall the Pentagon proposal that the military be allowed to activate reserve forces during domestic disasters. In an Aug. 20 letter to the Senators (with a copy to their House counterparts), the NGA urged them to push the Pentagon to set up the Congressionally directed Council of Governors so it can engage directly with defense leaders over the expanded authority proposal. The association reminded the lawmakers that Congress stripped a similar Pentagon proposal from last year’s defense policy bill “because of governors’ concerns.” (More in The Hill report, Star-Bulletin report, and Rapid City Journal report)
B-21 Raider First Flight Now Postponed to 2023
May 20, 2022
The Air Force says the B-21 Raider won't make its first flight until 2023; about a six-month delay from the last official estimates. No reason was given for the delay. While other programs have recently chalked up schedule slips to supply chain and labor shortages, the Air Force has said…