November 05, 2018

America’s Air Force is too small

Defense News | Gen Larry Spencer (Ret.)

Let me put the bottom line up front: America’s Air Force currently has 312 operational squadrons. The problem is they need 386.

The Air Force goes to war with squadrons. Operational squadrons represent the core fighting unit while service support, sustainment and agile combat support squadrons provide support. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson described operational squadrons as the “clinched fists of American resolve,” that punch from a body of critical and solid support.

The good news is that today we can whip any other air force on the planet.

As Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein said: “Today we are the best Air Force in the world, and our adversaries know it. However, they have been studying our way of war and investing in ways to take away those advantages. This is about how we stay in front.”

The bad news is that our adversaries are determined to knock us off the top of the hill. The worse news is that if we don’t do something soon, they may very well succeed.

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