We now have a transcript of Air Combat Command chief Gen. Mike Hostage’s remarks at an AFA-sponsored, Air Force breakfast earlier on July 29. In his remarkably candid, hour-plus comments and answers to questions, he covered the gamut of ACC issues, including today’s precarious readiness, the A-10 divestiture, the F-35 engine issue, USAF’s electronic warfare capabilities and stealth, integration of cyber forces, prospects for Syria, and sixth generation air superiority. “I’m going to tell you what I think,” Hostage said, because his successor has been confirmed and “there’s not much they can do to me.” You can read it here.
The Pentagon is counting on Congress to navigate a legislative tightrope and pass a party-line bill to fund nearly a quarter of its $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal 2027, including billions of dollars for top priorities like Golden Dome, the F-35, munitions, and unmanned systems. Experts and lawmakers from…