Shinseki later acknowledged aviation’s exclusion from his plan that October, but defended its absence by noting that transformation was still in the early stages of development. Meanwhile, Gen. John M. Keane, vice chief of staff, reassured aviators they were “an integral part of where we’re going.” He pledged support for two main aviation programs-the RAH-66 Comanche and AH-64D Apache-and promised a comprehensive aviation plan.