Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh briefed reporters at the Pentagon Monday on the major programmes and issues the US Air Force is dealing with.The new long-range strike bomber,reportedly designated the B-3,will be intended to replace the B-52H and B-1B aircraft starting in the mid-2020's and over the next 25 years,GEN Welsh said.The B-52's going to try to make 100 years,but we really should take a look at that.We're at the point today where we don't have enough planes to keep our air crews trained.We have four types of planes that are over 50 years old.*
Secretary James spoke about the new air refueling tanker,the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus,which is based on the 767 airliner.Its first Air Force flight has been delayed by a month because an incorrect fuel substitute was placed in the fueling boom.It was already flown briefly by Boeing in December 2014.Boeing still believes it will deliver 18 aircraft by August 2017,Ms.James said.The margin in the schedule is all but gone.Would there be any operational impacts?It's a disappointing delay,but any cost overruns will not be borne by the government.*
As to whether the US could effectively respond to an Iranian crisis,GEN Welsh said our job is to be ready.I'm confident that the US military would be able to complete any mission that was assigned.
On North Korea having a missile that can strike the US,we know where North Korea is going toward.I think it's something we have to watch.They may have a missile capable of reaching the West coast.Certainly they have a missile capable of reaching Hawaii or US facilities in the Pacific,and that's our main concern.Whether they can deliver a payload with them,that's something beyond my understanding.*
The impending deployment of F-22 Raptors to Europe in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine was addressed by Secretary James.The timing and basing details are classified.The F-22 is part of the European Reassurance Initiative.It's an air-to-air capability.We need to be able to interoperate with the Eurofighter,for example,and that's what this training is for.*
We will get to F-35A initial operational capability next year,GEN Welsh promised.The new Gen 3 helmet has just been delivered.It is much more than a helmet.It is a workspace,providing situational awareness of the battlespace.All the people flying the F-35 since I've been here,the three years,say I want to use it.It's pretty incredible,amd they're very adaptable.
In Iraq and Syria,dynamic targeting,or an aircraft loitering until it is assigened a target,is not a new approach.We don't want to drop bombs indiscriminately.If we can't get the targeting done,we bring the aircraft home and they try again in the next sortie.*
Talks with Turkey are ongoing about a second Turkish air base,apart from Incirlik,being used in search and rescue operations for the anti-ISIL air campaign,Operation Inherent Resolve,Ms.James added.
The seven Air Force jobs that women cannot yet qualify for are currently being evaluated.These are difficult jobs,mostly in the special operations forces,and based on the reports I'm getting,I'm optimistic.We in the Air Force lead the services in the number of jobs women can qualify for,Secretary James pointed out.*
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