State of the Air Force and Space Force 2023
Training airmen to act more autonomously—and gearing up for more autonomous systems.
JENNIFER HLAD | MARCH 2, 2023
AIR FORCE SPACE FORCE PERSONNEL
The U.S. Air Force’s year brought an unexpected first: an air-to-air kill by an F-22 Raptor. But the shootdown wasn’t of an enemy fighter jet; instead, the Raptor brought down a suspected Chinese spy balloon.
The incident—and the subsequent downings of three more unidentified flying objects—drew attention to the security of United States airspace, the role the Air Force plays in national security, and above all, the potential threat from China.
It’s a threat that’s been top of mind for the Air Force for years, and while Chief of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown says he doesn’t see conflict with China as “imminent or inevitable,” he does want the service to be ready, just in case.
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/03/state-air-force-and-space-force/383486/
