U.S. Air Force Seeks 24% Increase In Force Size To Support Trump Defense Strategy
Loren Thompson
When Air Force leaders appeared before Congress earlier this year to present their service's planned posture and budget for 2019, they were asked what they needed to successfully implement the Trump administration's defense strategy. That strategy shifts the emphasis in military planning from fighting terrorism to deterring and/or defeating "revisionist" states -- Russia and China in particular, but also Iran and North Korea.
On Monday, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff David Goldfein gave Congress their answer. After six months of detailed analysis, the service has decided it needs a 24% increase in the size of its force to accomplish the military tasks it is likely to be assigned under the revised National Defense Strategy. Specifically, it needs to increase the number of operational squadrons the service sustains from 312 to 386.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2018/09/17/u-s-air-force-leaders-seek-24-increase-in-force-size-to-support-trump-defense-strategy/#78de9ed78ef5
