As Reported in "Duh" Magazine

Friday, March 27, 2009

The US is building the F-35 fighter. NATO allies wish to buy it. That being the case, don't you think that US Air Forces in Europe should get the F-35 BEFORE the allies get theirs, or at least at the same time? You might think that, but you aren't thinking like Robert Gates and his OSD crew, who right now have USAFE bringing up the rear. Note the following commentary, as reported in the Daily Report from Gen. Roger A. Brady, the USAFE commander before the Defense Writers Group:

The [USAFE] commander is pressing hard to make sure his own squadrons get their aircraft concurrently with their allies--and that would mean speeding up delivery of the fifth-generation fighter. "We have nations that have planned and programmed for this, and we are trying to transition in USAFE at the same time the allies do," he said. "It's very important for interoperability." From bed down procedures to training and the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures, the issue of coordinating efforts with the six F-35 partners in Europe is becoming "more of a topic of discussion than it was in the past," Brady added. "We have to have them the same time the allies have them," Brady said of the JSF. "I've been un-shy about that," he continued and explained that he believes the upcoming defense budget will show his efforts have paid off.

NATO's SACEUR, Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, supports Brady. The question is whether OSD will wise up. In 1939, George Orwell wrote, "We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." Per Orwell, let us give many thanks to General Brady for stating the obvious: DOD needs to speed up deliveries to USAFE.