Air Force leaders aren’t quite sure what the 21st century Total Force will look like, but they know it will play a vital role in the future operating
environment. Speaking at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Tuesday afternoon, National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Craig McKinley said Air Force leadership is reviewing several proposals outlining possible ways the Air National Guard can integrate. However, he said, “We aren’t far enough in to it to figure that out” yet. Some critical factors that will play into the decision will be exactly what can the Guard afford? How many missions should the Guard and Reserve take on in 12 to 18 months? “Those questions should be answered first because we want to make sure it’s a well informed decision and we put our capabilities on the line,” said McKinley.
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.
