News

General says Air Force modernization is priority

by David Vergun
Department of Defense News
October 7, 2022
A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III sits on the flight line at Travis Air Force Base, California, Sept. 23, 2022. A Reserve aircrew from the 301st Airlift Squadron performed a three-day mission Sept. 23 – 25, to move humanitarian cargo to Haiti. Through the Denton Program, three school buses donated from San Diego Unified School District were transported from March Air Reserve Base, California, to Haiti. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jonathon Carnell)

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. spoke today at the State of Defense conference on DefenseOne.com.

Regarding hypersonic threats from adversaries, Brown said, “We want to make sure we have not only that capability, but the capacity. There’s a balance between having a hypersonic capability, but it’s all the other munitions that we would also have [that] ensure our portfolio because what I want to make sure that we have is a full complement of capability to go against the threats that we know about today.”

As for recent Chinese activity in the Taiwan Strait, Brown said the U.S. will continue operating in international waters.

Speaking about nuclear threats Brown said: “We want to make sure we have a safe, secure, reliable nuclear deterrent.”

Brown also mentioned modernization of the B-52 bombers to the newer B-21s and the Minuteman 3 missiles.

“We are on a path to modernize the Air Force not only across the conventional air force, but also nuclear force, as well,” he said.

Alaska Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 176th Airlift Wing prepare a C-17 Globemaster III for departure at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Sept. 21, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the AKOM, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Julia Lebens)
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