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 rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
