Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force:
1. The Air Force is defending the performance of its MQ-9 Reaper following a fiscal year 2017 report by the director of operational test and evaluation that showed the remotely piloted aircraft still faces radar system deficiencies.
Full story: USAF to increasingly rely on MQ-9, speed upgrades amid mixed test findings
2. Five Air Force procurement programs saw cost swings of more than $1 billion over the last year, and 24 of the service's systems shrank by $2.5 billion in aggregate, the Defense Department said this week.
Full story: DOD finds cost of two dozen Air Force programs shrank by $2.5 billion
3. The Air Force's acquisition chief recently notified lawmakers of progress made on six prototyping programs during the second half of 2017, according to a March 24 letter Inside the Air Force reviewed this week.
Full story: Six prototype programs to advance aircraft, EW pod, GBSD technologies
4. U.S. Strategic Command expects to achieve initial operational capability this year for a new Satellite Communications Integrated Operations Environment that will bring together key capabilities and expertise from across the Defense Department.
Full story: STRATCOM, services stand up joint SATCOM operations floor