During a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing prior to the Congressional recess, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) spoke about current Air Force capabilities.
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00:00Good morning. I begin with a common refrain. The United States faces its most
00:08dangerous threat environment since World War II. However, though many of our
00:14national security challenges mirror the 1930s, warfare looks much different today.
00:20Technological advances in artificial intelligence, hypersonic strike weapons,
00:26sixth-generation aircraft, and space-based weapons are transforming the nature of
00:33modern conflict. The Department of the Air Force is on the front lines of these
00:39changes. Today we will hear from three representatives of that service. We
00:45welcome Secretary Troy Mink, General Chance Saltzman, and General David Alvin. I thank
00:52all of them for being here for their continued service to the nation. The
00:57committee understands that the fiscal year 2026 president's budget is not yet
01:02complete, and we're therefore aware that the three witnesses before us do not have
01:06the full budget picture. That being said, their testimony is still vital. It will
01:12help us consider how to support the mission of the Air Force and the Space
01:16Force, which is to be lethal and ready to fight tonight, as the slogan goes.
01:22One of our most pressing responsibilities is to ensure the long-term
01:27readiness and modernization of the Air Force. In the event of war, we need not
01:31only capability, but also capacity. If we go to war in 2027, we will fight with the
01:38Air Force we have today, which is a mix of fourth-generation fighters, such as the F-15E,
01:44F-16, and fifth-generation fighters, the F-22 and F-35. We need more fighter aircraft now, and we are
01:55working, along with our colleagues in the House, Chairman Rogers, to keep the F-15EX line
02:02open through our reconciliation bill. Even as we plan for future systems, we must
02:07address the state of today's fleet. The mission capability rates across many Air
02:12Force platforms remains unacceptably low. Some platform fleets are frequently less
02:20than 50% mission capable, and we'll have questions about that. The F-35 fleet is
02:25available a mere 54% of the time. This is not just a maintenance issue, it is a
02:31readiness issue, and it impacts our ability to deter adversaries and respond
02:36when necessary. Taxpayers are investing billions of dollars to support these
02:40aircraft, and our airmen and our citizens deserve higher readiness levels to defend
02:46our national interest. I expect our witnesses to provide a frank assessment of
02:50what is driving these poor rates, and more importantly, what is being done to
02:55reverse the trend. The Air Force also plays a key role in modernizing our
03:00nuclear forces. The service is responsible for two legs of the nuclear
03:05triad, as well as a majority of the U.S. nuclear command control and
03:09communication system. These programs must stay on schedule to deliver the essential
03:15capabilities we need to deter nuclear threats. We cannot afford to allow these
03:20programs to flounder because of a lack of leadership and prioritization. This
03:26committee expects accountability among program managers and transparency with
03:30Congress to ensure we can modernize effectively. And I think this panel shares
03:36that sentiment. I look forward to hearing our witnesses explain how the Air Force
03:42manages these risks while preserving strategic stability. The U.S. Space Force has
03:49grown significantly in the last five years. That trend should continue because our
03:54threats are growing as well. Maintaining space superiority is a no-fail mission.
03:59Increased investment in this young service is absolutely vital. We also must
04:05invest in the facilities that support our service members. In the 2025 NDAA, this
04:10committee unanimously adopted a provision that requires the service to maintain a
04:16minimum 4% plant replacement value for infrastructure. That provision survived
04:23conference and was signed into law by the President. It is the law of the land.
04:29Let me say this again. This is the law of the land and senior leaders should set the
04:35example to the force by following the law. A law that was created, I must point out,
04:39because the services had long ignored the problem. We cannot make progress on any of
04:48these issues without those who wear the uniform and support the mission every day. Our airmen,
04:52guardians, and civilians are our greatest asset. Recruiting and retention continue
04:57to be major challenges and we need to remain focused on supporting service members and their
05:04families with the resources, care, and career opportunities they deserve. I look forward to
05:10the hearing and the testimony from each of our witnesses about how they intend to ensure the
05:17department of the air force has what it needs to meet today's challenges, maintain our superiority
05:22in air and space, and prepare for the threats we face on the horizon. With that, I turn to my
05:30colleague, Ranking Member Rhee.
05:31Rhee