{"id":495030,"date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=495030"},"modified":"2025-06-26T21:40:01","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T21:40:01","slug":"meink-allvin-saltzman-outline-strategies-priorities-necessary-to-secure-the-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=495030","title":{"rendered":"Meink, Allvin, Saltzman outline strategies, priorities necessary to secure the nation"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

WASHINGTON (AFNS) — \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The highest-ranking civilian and military leaders of the Department of the Air Force June 26 highlighted the recent U.S. strike on Iran as a vivid example for what is possible \u2013 but also at risk \u2013 unless Congress ensures sufficient, uninterrupted funding for the Air Force and Space Force<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t just need more Air Force; we need a more capable one,\u201d Air Force Chief of Staff\u00a0Gen. David Allvin<\/strong><\/a>, told the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in a hearing that also featured Department of the Air Force Secretary\u00a0Dr. Troy Meink<\/strong><\/a>, and Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the world saw on June 21st, no other service can match what the Air Force delivers: effects anywhere on the globe, at any scale, on minimal notice,\u201d Allvin said, emphasizing a theme that was embraced and expanded on by Meink and Saltzman.<\/p>\n

But while the Iran mission was successful, all three leaders noted that adversaries today, particularly China, are more advanced and determined and that the U.S. advantage could shrink without assured, consistent funding from Congress.<\/p>\n

That is especially true in space, Saltzman said, adding that being able to operate fully in space is a linchpin to defending the nation and that the domain has now become a contested, warfighting zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is imperative that we match the dramatic rise in threats and increasing importance of space with resources to arm the Space Force effectively,\u201d Saltzman told members of the subcommittee that plays a key role in determine how much funding the department will receive when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Space Force has been asked to accept new responsibilities and new missions. These new missions require new resources, or we will face tough choices between delayed readiness, reduced capacity, or unaddressed vulnerabilities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meink seized on a similar theme.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Department of the Air Force is at an inflection point. We are engaged in a fast-paced race for military superiority against a well-resourced strategic opponent,\u201d he said.
\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, we simultaneously face personnel and platform challenges affecting our immediate readiness. We must rebuild our military and develop new capabilities so that we can continue deterring our adversaries in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like Allvin, Meink linked the success of the mission against Iran as an indicator of the capabilities brought by the Air Force and Space Force and as a tangible example of the department\u2019s spending priorities and what it means in real terms on the battlefield.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough our current and future investments, the department aims to establish a balanced, high-low mix of combat capabilities optimized to project power both from within and outside of adversary threat environments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recently demonstrated the precision and potency of U.S. air and space force in Operation Midnight Hammer<\/strong><\/a>, and it is imperative that we continue providing the president a full range of military options to confront any threat we face,\u201d he told senators.<\/p>\n

Meink noted that confronting and deterring China remains the highest national defense priority. That effort, along with protecting the homeland including the Southern Border, means \u201ccontinuing to modernize our nuclear forces, especially through the Sentinel, B-21, and Long-Range Standoff weapon programs \u2014 as well as the nuclear Command, Control, and Communications that support these systems. We are also eager to support the president\u2019s ‘Golden Dome’\u00a0missile defense initiative.”<\/p>\n

Allvin told senators the budget request for 2026 \u201cis designed to build a force aligned with today\u2019s operational realities. That means preserving current readiness and optimizing our force design to be tailored for contested environments, blending next generation aircraft, autonomous systems, and resilient command and control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Specifically, it means continuing to develop the F-47, the recently announced newest frontline fighter. It means continuing to develop and refine so-called Collaborative Combat Aircraft, uncrewed and autonomous aircraft that would work in unison with crewed aircraft and commands on the ground. It means pushing forward the B-21 bomber and continuing to upgrade the ageless B-52 fleet and the ground-based nuclear deterrent known as Sentinel.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Allvin said the Air Force needs Congress to give it authority to trim unneeded and unused assets and property.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore Air Force means ruthlessly prioritizing in the right capabilities and projects while divesting from aging systems and unused infrastructure,\u201d Allvin said, reiterating a call for \u201cmore Air Force\u201d that he has been voicing for months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t just need more Air Force; we need a more capable one. We need \u2018more tooth, less tail\u2019,\u201d he said, emphasizing the Air Force currently has \u201c23% in excess facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis inefficient laydown of force structure across our installations suggests there are opportunities for consolidation or divestment,\u201d he said.
\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lawmakers agreed with the three leaders that Congress needs to approve the fiscal 2026 spending plan and that failing to achieve that, as has happened frequently over the last decade erodes national security.<\/p>\n

Aside from agreement on the need for funding, the hearing also brought questions about the status of the KC-46 tanker, about the Air Force\u2019s plans for responding to a shortage of workers at childcare centers, plans for launching satellites and what the Air Force is doing to protect bases from drone attacks, among others.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

U.S. Air Force Logo<\/title><\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WASHINGTON (AFNS) — \u00a0 The highest-ranking civilian and military leaders of the Department of the Air Force June 26 highlighted the recent U.S. strike on Iran as a vivid example for what is possible \u2013 but also at risk \u2013 unless Congress ensures sufficient, uninterrupted funding for the Air Force and Space Force. \u201cWe don\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":108410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=495030"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495030\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":495031,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495030\/revisions\/495031"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/108410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=495030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=495030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=495030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}