According to the lead editorial in this month’s Air Force Times, it has to do with the speech Gates gave on May 13 at Colorado Springs. He wants the services to concentrate on the the present War on Terror and not buy modern arms to fight potential future wars. He said, “It is hard to conceive of any country confronting the United States directly in conventional terms — ship to ship, fighter to fighter, tank to tank — for some time to come.” Apparently, the Air Force leaders said we need new aircraft to maintain air superiority, so he fired them.
Correction: It is the lead editorial in this month’s Air Force Magazine.