Inside the Air Force highlights

Here are some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force:

1. President Trump signed a key space policy directive this week that would direct the creation of a new military service, but falls short of a previous order to establish a new department for space.

Full story: President signs key Space Force policy directive

2. The Air Force has delayed a key milestone for its $2.7 billion, E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System Block 40/45 upgrade program stemming from shortfalls identified during testing and delays in delivering new hardware by prime contractor Boeing.

Full story: USAF reports E-3G delay, pushes AWACS final milestone into mid-2024

3. The Combat Rescue Helicopter program office is aiming for a September 2019 milestone C decision, despite concerns from the Pentagon's senior weapons tester.

Full story: CRH program aims for September milestone C decision despite DOT&E warning

4. The Pentagon has 19 pathfinders, ranging from individual weapon systems to program executive offices, leveraging the work of a new initiative to make agile software development tools available across the Defense Department, according to the official in charge of the effort.

Full story: DOD aims to boost agile software development with 'DevSecOps Initiative'