More Aircraft on the Chopping Block

By John A. Tirpak
In addition to divesting the entire fleet of A-10 close air support aircraft and U-2 spyplanes, the Air Force’s Fiscal 2015 budget proposal looks to cut 51 F-15C fighters, leaving a fleet of 172 aircraft. The proposal also includes a...

Right-Sized is Down-Sized

Authorized Air Force endstrength will take a steep nosedive in Fiscal 2015, dropping from 503,000 to 483,000, according to a budget brief presented Tuesday. The cuts are “driven by the divestiture of associated force structure [and] weapon systems, headquarters realignment,...

The Budget Topline and Long Term Choices

By Marc V. Schanz
House legislators pressed Defense Department leaders Thursday to clarify the department’s actual “top line” in its Fiscal 2015 budget request. The proposal requests $495.6 billion, but that number does not reflect an additional request for some $26 billion from the...

Bracing in the Baltics

The United States has more than doubled the number of fighter jets that are participating in the Baltic air policing mission in response to rising tensions in the Ukraine, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced. Six F-15Cs departed RAF Lakenheath, Britain,...

Obama Urges Diplomatic Solution in Ukraine

President Barack Obama urged a diplomatic solution to rising tensions in Ukraine during an hour-long phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to a White House release. During the conversation he urged Russian and Ukrainian leaders to...

Special In the Budget Too

Special operations is a rare growth area in terms of both funding and manpower in the Fiscal 2015 budget request. Joint service special operations forces are slated to grow from “60,000 troops today to 69,700,” highlighting a shift to light,...

Austin Gives Syria Update

By June L. Kim
Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of US Central Command, said “if left unchecked” the number of foreign fighters in Syria will continue to grow. “We’ve been able to apply pressure against the Al Qaeda network [in the CENTCOM area of...

Analysts Urge Long-Range Strike Investment

The Air Force should prioritize investment in long-range strike and intelligence gathering assets that enable a Pacific power projection, according to a new Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments study that was co-authored by CSBA senior fellow Mark Gunzinger and...