The National Guard cut seen in the Administration’s 2007 defense budget proposal targets the Army Guard. Did the governors in their Washington meeting also take exception to the Air Force plan to trim the Air National Guard or did they table that for another day? USAF leaders say they do not plan to make ANG and Air Force Reserve Command cuts in 2006 or 2007, rather they first will target the active component. Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Moseley has said that the reserve component share of the planned cut of 57,000 airmen is about 20 percent—around 11,000. The cuts would be taken through 2011.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.