The Air Force is trying to ease the burden on its special operators by transferring some of their duties to the regular force, Brig. Gen. Jerry Martinez, director for joint integration in the Operational Capability Requirements directorate, told House lawmakers late last week. “An important point to make when you look at this conventional versus the irregular warfare and special operators out here, is what can we do to take the burden off them,” Martinez testified during a House Armed Services emerging threats and capabilities panel on irregular warfare capabilities, Nov. 3. “Our country has asked a lot of our special ops forces and, wow, have they delivered.” That’s why the Air Force is trying to improve language, regional, and cultural training for the “general populace”—skills once reserved for air commandos, said Martinez. (Martinez written testimony)
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.
