Asked by one Congressman what keeps him up at night, Gen. Howie Chandler, USAF vice chief of staff, replied: pressures on the budget from a weapons sustainment shortfall, the costs of maintaining the all-volunteer force, and “accelerating” costs for the high-tech weapons systems needed for the future. Earlier at the March 16 House Armed Services readiness panel hearing, he said the most immediate readiness challenge is weapons sustainment, which USAF has put at the top of its 2011 unfunded list. The service’s proposed base budget can only cover about 65 percent of its sustainment needs, and it has asked for overseas contingency operation (OCO) dollars to bring that to 82 percent. However, Chandler said, it needs another $337 million to reach 85 percent and offset a potential “bow wave” in its ability to put aircraft and engines through periodic depot maintenance.
A Golden Dome task force established under U.S. Northern Command earlier this year has a broad remit, which includes fielding the capability to defend the U.S. against missile and drone attacks, its leaders said this week. Some of the primary focuses right now are ensuring Golden Dome can defend itself…