“We are in an impossible situation in Congress,” Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) said Wednesday during AFA’s Air and Space Conference in Washington. Over the past five years defense spending has increased greatly, but now it’s about to hit a ceiling, said Weldon. He explained that actual defense spending has decreased since John F. Kennedy’s Presidency, when 52 cents of every federal budget dollar was devoted to defense. In 2000, defense accounted for only 15 cents of every dollar. Weldon said the nation must meet the challenges of the future in the face of serious budget constraints, and America’s first challenge is to be realistic about the situation. The nation needs to understand that even with competing programs, “politics stops where national security begins,” he said, adding that the constitution mentions national security six times. More resources are needed, but for now, we have to “work smarter with current resources,” Weldon concluded.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.