"History is a wonderful thing, if only it was true"
-Tolstoy

Monday, April 21, 2008

Enough with the silk scarves

I've ranted from time to time about the Air Force mindset, continuing to try to justify expensive projects.

Defense Sec Gates jumps in.

Pentagon chief urges Air Force to embrace change - New York Times

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- In unusually blunt terms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday challenged the Air Force, whose leaders are under fire on several fronts, to contribute more to immediate wartime needs and to promote new thinking.

Gates singled out the use of pilotless surveillance planes, in growing demand by commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan, as an example of how the Air Force and other services must act more aggressively.

Gates has been trying for months to get the Air Force to send more unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, like the Predator drone that provides real-time surveillance video, to the battlefield. They are playing an increasing role in disrupting insurgent efforts to plant roadside bombs.

''Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it's been like pulling teeth,'' Gates said of his prodding. ''While we've doubled this capability in recent months, it is still not good enough.''"

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