Lt. Gen. Raymond Johns, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs on the Air Staff since October 2006, has been nominated for promotion to the rank of general for a yet-to-be-announced position. While there has been no public Air Force or Defense Department release on the nomination, Johns’ name appears on the Senate’s June 4 nominee list for appointment to four-star level. The rumor mill has it that Johns would take over Air Mobility Command from Gen. Arthur Lichte, who has led that organization since September 2007.
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.