JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) —
Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, released “PACAF Strategy 2030: Evolving Airpower” during a briefing at the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Sept. 11.
In lockstep with the 2022 National Defense Strategy, PACAF Strategy 2030 provides Airmen with strategic priorities to defend the homeland, deter aggression, and reinforce allies and partners in the complex and ever-changing Indo-Pacific strategic environment.
PACAF Strategy 2030 ensures the command’s 46,000 Airmen and civilians continue to evolve competence in areas such as agile combat employment, maritime strike, multi-capable Airmen, resilient basing, information and intelligence sharing, and contested logistics.
“PACAF is evolving airpower and setting the pace to preserve peace and if necessary, fight and win,” Wilsbach said. “We understand the challenges inherent to generating airpower in contested environments, recognizing it is fundamentally different than projecting power from safe-haven bases. Therefore, we embrace the acceleration of change, leveraging innovation to benefit the United States and our many allies and partners.”
The document outlines the strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific and expands on America’s strategic competitors and how they attempt to undermine the rule-based international order through coercive actions.
According to the PACAF Strategy 2030, “If deterrence fails, PACAF will be ready to fight. These operational priorities reflect the urgency to accelerate change to meet the challenges of this decisive decade. Informed by our finite resources, PACAF will focus on four priorities: (1) enhance warfighting advantage; (2) advance theater posture; (3) strengthen alliances and partnerships; and (4) shape the information environment.”
Over the course of three days, and with briefings such as “Building the Warfighting Mindset,” “Ready to Compete, Fight, and Win in the Indo-Pacific,” “Cyber Warfare,” “Partnering to Win in the Space Fight,” “Global Threats and Opportunities,” and “Air Dominance”, the theme of the 2023 AS&CC is “Defeating Multipolar Threats: A Strategic Imperative for Airmen and Guardians,” further reinforcing the PACAF Strategy 2030.
“As the United States continues to navigate this decisive decade of uncertainty, PACAF must anticipate and rapidly adapt to new social, economic, and security conditions that impact the role of airpower within the Indo-Pacific,” Wilsbach said. “With the combined strength and experience of our Allies and partners, PACAF’s steadfast resiliency will continue to propel us forward to meet the challenges of the future.”
PACAF will continue to evolve airpower to set the pace over the next decade. View the full PACAF 2030 Strategy, here.