Restoring force readiness, space operations and the future served as the prime topics during the Secretary of the Air Force’s recent update on the state of the branch.
Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson addressed the 2018 Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, noting the Air Force must focus on readiness and acquisition to prepare for present and future operations.
“Sometimes it is hard to see the sweep of history when we are just trying to get today’s work done,” Wilson said. “Which is why it is important to come together like this, to take stock of where we are so that we can reaffirm where we need to go.”
She said the branch’s operational squadrons are the combat power of the Air Force.
“We have 312 operational squadrons today,” Wilson said. “The Air Force We Need has 386 operational squadrons by 2030. It takes all of us to get that combat power ready and able to fight. A fist is nothing without the weight of the body behind it.”
Wilson referenced the importance of the space mission, including a proposal to the Defense Department regarding the structure and responsibilities of a new branch of the Armed Services.
“As Airmen, we have the responsibility develop a proposal for the president that is bold and that carries out his vision,” she said.