Based on real test data and warfighter feedback, these capabilities can be advanced, modified, discarded, or if requested by Combatant Commanders, put immediately into operational use. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace force.
I Washington, DC: March , p. All the services are buying more munitions. Many analyses show that U. Thus, the Air Force budget procures a lot of munitions, especially air-to-ground munitions. Procurement of munitions may not hold up if budgets decline. The downside of munitions acquisition is that they are sterile; that is, once procured, they go on the shelf to be used in case of conflict. If there is no conflict that requires their use, then the services must pay to dispose of the munitions at the end of their useful life.
Munitions are not visible and, therefore, may not contribute significantly to deterrence. For this reason, many U. This report is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies CSIS , a private, tax- exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues.
Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author s.
All rights reserved. Skip to main content. Photo: Department of Defense. Download the Report. Military Forces in FY The Struggle to Align Forces with Strategy The Air Force continues procurement and development of fifth generation aircraft to meet the demands of great power conflict while a high operational temp has forced it to invest in readiness and aging legacy platforms.
Thus, the Air Force is in effect driven to a high-low mix of capabilities. The Air Force is slowly addressing its aging aircraft problem as the fleet size stabilizes and new aircraft are delivered. However, the Air Force will experience historically high costs to maintain this inventory level in the future. Air Force procures only 12 MQ-9 Reapers in FY , so the unmanned element of its aircraft inventory has plateaued at six percent of the force.
This is driven partially by questions about how to adapt unmanned platforms for non-permissive environments of great power conflicts. The Air Force reaffirmed its 25 percent expansion goal to reach operational squadrons but takes no steps to reach this goal in FY Nuclear forces require a greater share of the Air Force budget as Reagan era systems reach the end of their service lives and, as a result, nuclear modernization generates some opposition.
Driven by concerns about space as a new warfighting domain, Congress has put forward bills for an independent Space Force Senate or a Space Corps House. Either way, ripping this new organization out of existing institutions will be a traumatic experience for the Air Force. The proposal has been controversial, with the Air Force having been pushed into the procurement by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and many airpower advocates criticizing any procurement of fourth- generation aircraft as a step backward.
However, Congress seems inclined to go along with the plan. During this period, the Air Force will buy 3. Released weapons ignite, pull up, and proceed normally to the target. What is Rapid Dragon? Why palletized munitions for the Department of the Air Force? Tactically , provides overwhelming mass. These strategic funding increases is one of the largest investments in the history of the program and will accelerate research and development for Boom's Overture commercial airliner.
Designed to carry up to 88 passengers, the Overture will be fueled entirely by sustainable aviation fuels and is expected to be a net zero carbon aircraft from the moment it begins operations, according to the company.
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