The U.S. Air Force is examining possible early retirements for a range of legacy platforms, especially if digitally engineered eSeries systems can readily step in to fulfill the missions of those platforms in contested environments with potential "near peer" adversaries China and Russia. "Anything that can be contested in a high end fight is on the table for consideration," Air Force acquisition chief Will Roper told reporters on Sept. 23. "We simply can't afford to be an Air Force that…
