The Senate on April 28 approved Gen. Lori Robinson to be commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, making her the first female commander of a combatant command. Robinson, who has led Pacific Air Forces since October 2014, will replace Adm. Bill Gortney. Also on Thursday, the Senate confirmed Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti to replace Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove as commander of US European Command, and Army Gen. Vincent Brooks, who will replace Scaparotti as commander of US Forces Korea. Breedlove will retire July 1 after nearly 40 years in uniform. The Pentagon announced on Friday that Defense Secretary Ash Carter will travel to Europe May 2-4 to preside over the EUCOM change of command ceremony, which will be held May 3 in Stuttgart, Germany, alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford. While in Europe, Carter also will host a meeting with defense ministers from countries involved in the anti-ISIS fight, states the release.
The first flight of the secretive B-21 bomber has slipped to mid-2022, but the program is moving along well, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director Randall Walden said in an exclusive interview. The second copy of the B-21, which will be used for structural testing, is now on the production…