In remarks last week as a Washington aerospace and defense conference, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn talked about the Pentagon’s four current imperatives. First is the “full institutionalization” of the ability to fight irregular wars and defeat unconventional threats. Second is that the nation must continue to invest in “fourth and fifth generation tactical aircraft”—absent buying any more than 187 F-22s, of course—to maintain its air superiority in the face of the proliferation of modern jammers, sensors, radars, and anti-aircraft weapons. Third, as we reported above (Lynn Emphasizes LRS Importance) is the next long range strike capability. And, fourth is to ensure access to space by reducing vulnerability of space based assets to attack and disruption. Lynn added that the ability to “augment and reconstitute” critical space platforms and capabilities will be a key tenet of the Administration’s space strategy going forward.
The Air Force is seeking funding to let its pilots fly a little more than 1.1 million hours in fiscal 2027, which would be the most in about four years. But even if Airmen actually do fly all 1.1 million hours, it would still be short of the 1.3 million…