The Air Force has 32 percent excess infrastructure, the Defense Department said in a new report urging Congress to approve another round of Base Realignment and Closure. Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work on April 12 sent a report to congressional committees detailing how much of the military’s base structure is in excess. “The Department of Defense must stop wasting money on unnecessary infrastructure,” the report states. “We must right-size our infrastructure, capture the savings, and devote these savings to readiness, modernization, and other more pressing national security requirements.” The Defense Department, overall, has about 22 percent excess capacity. The Army has 33 percent, the Navy 7 percent, and the Defense Logistics Agency has 12 percent. (See also: Another Push for BRAC.)
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…