Another round of base realignment and closure could save the Air Force $25 billion, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson said Tuesday. USAF has “25 percent excess capacity,” he said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. When pressed by members of the committee, Wilson said that BRAC could “help us do smart investment” at a time of tight military budgets by taking money currently being used to support excess base capacity and put it toward other areas of dire need, like “deferred maintenance.” When asked if he would support such a move, Wilson said, “yes” unequivocally. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking member of HASC, reintroduced a House BRAC bill on Jan. 26. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), SASC ranking member, recently said they were ready to consider a new round of BRAC.
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.