NATO announces new head of Norfolk, Va., command
NATO says a French general will take over one of the alliance’s two strategic commands.
Air Force Gen. Jean-Paul Palomeros will replace fellow Frenchman Gen. Stephane Abrial, who in 1999 became the first non-American officer to head a major command in North America.
The Allied Transformation Command in Norfolk, Va., is designed to develop doctrine and improve the military capabilities of the 28-member alliance. Currently, its focus is maintaining the effectiveness of NATO in an age of austerity and shrinking defense budgets.
Allied Command Operations – which oversees all military operations, including the war in Afghanistan – is based in Mons, Belgium. It is headed by U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, who was scheduled to leave this summer but has been asked to extend his tour. AP
Summit aims to expand Kansas aviation sector
Aircraft maker Airbus is reaching out to Kansas aviation suppliers with a Wichita event called the Air Capital Supplier Summit.
The event is hosted by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and Airbus Americas chairman Allan McArtor. It comes just months after the aircraft maker’s biggest competitor, Boeing, announced plans to close its defense plant in Wichita.
The conference is designed to increase business between Kansas companies and Airbus. More than 200 representatives from about 90 companies are expected to meet with Airbus representatives at the National Center for Aviation Training.
Kansas’ aerospace industry encompasses more than 450 companies and accounts for more than 32,000 direct jobs. Airbus has an engineering center in Wichita where it employs more than 350 people. AP
