During his Feb. 17 meeting with defense reporters (see above), the Air Force’s top uniformed official, Gen. Norton Schwartz, discussed the Air Force’s commitment to the joint fight, including making “some adjustments” to its existing force mix, if necessary. In “Analytically Driven,” Daily Report senior editor Michael Sirak covers the Chief’s views on joint support, the growth of intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance capability, the need to demolish “long-held beliefs” on the number of F-22s, and the real “demand signal” for additional airmen.
President Donald Trump is proposing a 13 percent increase in defense spending for fiscal 2026, growth that could mean the first ever $1 trillion defense budget, according to a document obtained by Air & Space Forces Magazine.