The congressionally mandated National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force holds its first public hearing. Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis McCarthy is chairman of the eight- member panel, and former Air Force Undersecretary Erin Conaton is the vice chair. Lawmakers created the panel to address concerns over USAF’s force structure plans for its reserve components. Congress directed the commission to provide a report with its recommendations by Feb. 1, 2014.
A record investment in research and development by the Department of the Air Force will help the United States win the long-term technology race with China, even while shrinking the fleet size before a possible mid-decade Taiwan contingency, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said May 17. “With the Air Force,…