How Air Force Special Warfare Can Improve Its ‘Soft’ Skills

How Air Force Special Warfare Can Improve Its ‘Soft’ Skills

Jan. 3, 2025 | By David Roza

The Air Force Special Warfare training pipeline produces experts in combat search and rescue, tactical air control, and special reconnaissance who can do their jobs in the most challenging circumstances alongside the military’s toughest special operators.

It takes years to hone the long list of technical skills—everything from infantry tactics to closed circuit SCUBA diving—that special warfare Airmen need to do their jobs. 

But a federally funded think tank identified four nontechnical attributes—drive, teamwork, trainability, and stress tolerance—that are not deliberately developed, which could hamper trainee development during the pipeline and later in their careers. The Air Force says these traits are crucial for effective special operators.

“Initial skills training for Air Force Special Warfare is designed to efficiently teach unskilled Airmen the technical knowledge and skills required to perform a particular occupational specialty,” the RAND Corporation wrote in a Dec. 27 report. “However, there is an emerging need to also develop the nontechnical attributes (e.g., teamwork, stress tolerance) required to effectively learn and perform jobs in an increasingly dynamic and uncertain future.”

The Pipeline

The Air Force Special Warfare Training pipeline starts with the special warfare candidate course, followed by the special warfare assessment and selection course, both at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Tex. Part of the goal of those courses is to put candidates through intense physical training to see if they can handle the demands of the profession.  

Those who pass through assessment and selection go on to a series of schools across the country such as pre-dive swimming and water confidence, static line parachuting, freefall parachuting, and survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) training.

After that, candidates go to apprentice courses for pararescue, special reconnaissance, and combat control, where they learn the tools of their specific trade, then on to a formal training unit to refine those skills. 

The whole thing takes about two years, or about a year for tactical air control party (TACP) Airmen, but RAND focused on the apprentice courses and formal training units, where much of the job-specific technical training takes place.

“This course … is four months of a firehose of information,” one TACP student told RAND. “We probably have, like, 60 or 70 different PowerPoints that you had to know … and then you have to therefore apply that knowledge in those tactical problems.”

special warfare
Students from the 351st Special Warfare Training Squadron tend to an injured Airman during a rescue mission exercise at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., Dec 2, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Karissa Dick)

Instructors at the courses noticed shortcomings in four key areas: 

  • Drive: which RAND defines as taking deliberate and persistent action to accomplish tasks and goals to high standards. 
  • Stress tolerance: the ability to continue performing under difficult, unpredictable, and ambiguous conditions
  • Teamwork: working productively with others and adapting to different roles and situations
  • Trainability: the capability to learn and execute core tasks and duties, particularly at the fast space of special warfare training.

Inherent Expectations

To an extent, candidates are expected to show up to the apprentice courses and formal training units with these attributes already in place.

“We don’t have enough time to teach these guys,” one pararescue apprentice course leader told RAND. “So, you end up seeing who studied enough, who practiced on their own, because when they don’t, they fail.”

Indeed, the Special Warfare Training Wing makes clear on its website that the wing provides expert instruction, but candidates are expected to bring nontechnical attributes like the four noted in the RAND report. Candidates also have to develop those attributes by nature of surviving the pipeline.

“[We are] trying to strike the balance between how much do you firehose them with challenges and information versus how easy do you go,” a pararescue apprentice course leader said. “And the side that we default to is the firehose, because generally speaking, the harder you push them, the better they do.”

There are informal opportunities to encourage nontechnical attributes through feedback and mentorship. One TACP leader mentioned pulling aside students for a course correct.

Trainees from the 352nd Special Warfare Training Squadron conduct a simulated ambush during small unit tactics training on Mackall Army Airfield, North Carolina, Oct. 24, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Xiaofan Liu)

The majority of AFSPECWAR students are performing well, RAND wrote, but there is room for improvement: instructors indicated that several nontechnical attributes are unevenly developed across initial skills training.

“If you don’t maintain a high level of drive, you’re not going to be successful, so that’s important,” one TACP formal training unit leader said. “But I don’t know if we are training that appropriately.”

Case in point, one combat control/special reconnaissance apprentice course instructor noticed students trying to get away with decreased effort.

“They’re trying to find an easy way to get everything accomplished and take shortcuts on just about everything now,” the instructor said. “And that is a theme that’s been going on for probably about—since I’ve been here.”

Instructors and leadership noticed similar gaps in teamwork, due in part to the current assessment and selection process, one pararescue leader said.

“Definitely, there’s a lack of teamwork,” the leader said. “That’s by far the most obvious characteristic. They’re selected as individuals.”

Likewise, trainability is something candidates are expected to already have when they show up to class.

“We teach a hell of a lot, and we expect them to acquire it, but we aren’t teaching them how to learn,” a pararescue leader said. “That meta aspect of it is not there.”

“I don’t know that we’re assessing whether or not they are capable of acquiring knowledge or if they are good at learning new skills,” a TACP leader said.

A combat controller student motions for his team to move during Tactics Field Week on July 18, 2023, in the North Carolina forests. (U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber)

How to Improve

The Air Force Special Warfare Training Wing is not alone in trying to hone soft skills amid a packed curriculum. Long thought to be an inherent trait among successful fighter pilots, stress tolerance is actually a skill that Air Force pilot trainers have focused on over the past eight years or so.

“It’s kind of a default that you either sink or swim, and it was certainly when I went to pilot training in 2010,” Hasard Lee, an F-35 instructor pilot, told Air & Space Forces Magazine in 2023. “That’s an effective technique, you know the people who come out the other side are going to be solid. But the problem is the training is very expensive … so if people get halfway through that training and wash out because they have some issues with being resilient, that could waste a lot of taxpayer money.”

Cognitive performance training, rooted in techniques such as positive psychology, diaphragmatic breathing, and visualization, have already saved many pilot students from washing out, improved the performance of others, and reduced the number of hours needed to master pilot skills. 

Similarly, RAND suggested that a deliberate effort on drive, teamwork, stress tolerance, and trainability could improve outcomes. Rather than carve out a training block on nontechnical attributes, RAND recommended weaving attribute development into the rest of the course.

“[S]ome events could present multiple opportunities to demonstrate one or more attributes,” researchers from the think tank wrote. “These events should be considered as sources for collecting formal evaluation data and for tracking individual-level changes over time (e.g., mission brief during full mission profile to evaluate Communication).”

It takes skilled instructors to recognize those opportunities, so RAND authors also called for teaching instructors when to provide feedback and when to let students make mistakes; students indicated such feedback was not always consistent or constructive. The think tank also recommended reintroducing interviews to prescreen instructors, a practice that had been abandoned due to resource limitations.

Other recommendations included:

  • Reward students’ efforts and improvement on attribute-related behaviors through feedback, since objective standards for nontechnical attributes are generally undefined.
  • Tying the importance of nontechnical attributes to real-life operational experiences
  • Encouraging a climate of respectful peer-to-peer feedback
  • Address some interpersonal skills such as teamwork earlier in the pipeline, or even in basic military training
  • Reevaluate gaps in attribute development with fresh analysis every few years
Air Force Tests Subscale Model of Blended-Wing Body Jet, on Track for First Flight in 2027

Air Force Tests Subscale Model of Blended-Wing Body Jet, on Track for First Flight in 2027

Jan. 3, 2025 | By John A. Tirpak and David Roza

The Air Force is collecting data from flight tests of a subscale version of its Blended-Wing Body demonstrator, and using that data to revise the full-scale aircraft’s control software and final configuration—the first flight of which remains on track for 2027.

In August 2023, the Department of the Air Force tapped startup JetZero to build a prototype Blended-Wing Body (BWB) aircraft for testing and demonstrating new technologies. Nearly 18 months later, a service spokesperson offered one of the first updates to the project.

The subscale demonstrator, nicknamed “Pathfinder,” has a 23-foot wingspan and is about one-eight the size of the planned full-scale aircraft, intended to explore BWB concepts for future Air Force and commercial airlifters and cargo aircraft. The BWB concept could reduce fuel burn by 30 percent versus existing cargo aircraft, which is why the project is being led by the Air Force assistant secretary for energy, installations, and the environment.

The Federal Aviation Administration gave the green light for testing in spring 2024.

“The subscale aircraft, initially flown at Crow’s Landing, Calif., confirmed that the current JetZero BWB concept has similar flight dynamics to previous BWB subscale aircraft, namely X-48,” an Air Force spokesperson said.

The X-48 program, concluded in 2013, included several sizes and configurations of a blended-wing body not unlike the BWB now being pursued. It was tested with both two and three engines, and with different configurations of the wings and winglets.

blended wing body
Boeing developed a blended wing body design for the X-48 program, which built and flew a subscale demonstrator in 2007. NASA photo.

While JetZero is running the BWB program, its partner, Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites division, is fabricating the full-size airplane.

Though not officially connected with the Air Force’s Next-Generation Air refueling System (NGAS) program, “BWB concepts are likely to inform NGAS analysis efforts as well as discussions regarding next-gen airlift,” the Air Force spokesperson said. “The desired optionality extends beyond aerial refueling and airlift platforms,” she added.

At the time of the award, Air Force officials said the performance of the BWB would inform an analysis of alternatives for the NGAS and other future mobility concepts.

“Inception of the Blended Wing Body project occurred independent of the program of record known as NGAS,” the spokesperson said. “As such, the BWB project is more broadly intended to accelerate innovation for the next generation of large aircraft and generate optionality for future capability needs.”

Testing with the subscale demonstrator is already paying dividends, she said.

“Due to dynamic scaling, subscale aircraft efforts have enabled refinement of flight control laws applicable to the full-scale demonstration aircraft, and further flight testing will serve to validate [Computational Fluid Dynamics] models and performance characteristics of the outer mold line,” she said.

Scaled Composites “has begun manufacturing full-scale parts for testing purposes. For example, a wing test article was recently built to refine and validate structural models being used for the full-scale aircraft build,” she said, while JetZero has made “significant progress in its integrated test facility … which enables systems integration testing to begin well before initial manufacturing of the full-scale aircraft. This is a risk reduction strategy which Gulfstream has used for previous developmental aircraft.”

The Air Force said fabrication of the full-scale aircraft will take place throughout 2026 and ground testing will start in April 2027. First flight is expected in September 2027.

In addition to a future air refueling jet, the Air Force is beginning to look at options for a successor to all its main airlift platforms: the C-5, C-17, and C-130. The C-5 recently concluded a lengthy upgrade and re-engining intended to extend its life into the 2040s, though that program has failed to yield the expected increases in aircraft availability. The Air Force is contemplating either a service life extension for the C-17 or a replacement type, and Air Mobility Command and Special Operations Command need a more survivable aircraft than the C-130 for future tactical airlift missions.

Besides feeding future fuel-efficient aircraft designs, “the BWB effort aims to accelerate innovation and create optionality for future capability needs, which could be applied to several aircraft, including cargo, transport, tanker, and bomber aircraft designs (which make up 60 percent of Air Force fuel burn),” the service spokesperson said.

“The BWB project supports the [Department of the Air Force] strategy by leveraging new transformational aircraft technology that is significantly more efficient (at least 30 percent) than current platforms. It has the potential to significantly increase our capability and readiness, specifically with the logistics challenges presented in INDOPACOM.”

Air Force officials have frequently noted that the vast dimensions of the Indo-Pacific will force the service to extend the range and efficiency of future platforms, especially to make the Agile Combat Employment concept work. Under ACE, the Air Force will need timely and survivable airlift support in many dispersed, austere locations, and aircraft will need to be able to move cargo and fuel while burning as little of their own fuel as possible.

“This transformational technology could be vital for a fight in the Pacific, giving us the operational edge we need,” the spokesperson said.

The BWB program is funded under a cost-sharing arrangement, under which the Air Force will put up a total of $230 million, while investors will put up an undisclosed amount, but at least matching the Air Force’s contribution. Industry officials said some $300 million in private funds are committed or pledged to the project.

Laughlin Bids Farewell to Its Final T-1 Trainer

Laughlin Bids Farewell to Its Final T-1 Trainer

Jan. 3, 2025 | By Greg Hadley

The final T-1 Jayhawk at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, took off for the Boneyard last month, as the Air Force continues to retire its venerable trainer for “heavies.” 

After three decades in action, the Jayhawks are retiring rapidly. The last flight from Laughlin came Dec. 17, heralded by a five-plane flyover that also featured two T-38s and two T-6s. 

“The T-1A is an excellent plane, it prepared pilots for the next plane they would be moving on to,” Capt. Nickolas Johnson, 86th Flying Training Squadron chief of operations, said in a release. “It gives pilots the opportunity to train on crew resource management, which is what they will do on the heavier aircraft.” 

A five-ship formation flys over the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 17, 2024 to commemorate the final flight of the T-1A at Laughlin. Joining the Jayhawk were two T-6A Texan IIs and two T-38C Talons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Larsen)

The Air Force is retiring the T-1s before they fulfill their expected service life to avoid “expensive engine overhauls,” according to budget documents released in April 2024. The retirements will free up “funding and instructor pilots for higher priorities,” the documents assert. Officials have argued the loss can be made up with a combination of simulators and other flying platforms, including the new T-7A Red Hawk. 

USAF has been working on the retirement plan for several years now, first asking Congress to let it divest 50 T-1 Jayhawks in fiscal 2023. Data from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group—the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.—shows that 48 aircraft arrived there in fiscal 2023. 

Another 52 T-1s were set to retire fiscal in 2024, part of a plan to shelve every T-1 at Laughlin as well as at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas; Vance Air Force Base, Okla.; and Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. That would have left just a few for combat systems officer training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. 

But Congress barred the service from retiring aircraft until “full, fleet-wide implementation” of the new Undergraduate Pilot Training curriculum is in place, an action that wasn’t completed until April 2024. Through the rest of fiscal ’24, only 33 T-1 airframes arrived at the Boneyard. 

In fiscal 2025, the Air Force is seeking permission to retire 22 more T-1s, including those used for combat systems officers, leaving 53 more to be retired through fiscal 2029. 

Laughlin joins JBSA-Randolph in bidding farewell to all its Jayhawks—the Texas base had its final flight in July 2024.  

The Air Force has significantly reduced or retired completely several other fleets in recent times, including the KC-10 tanker, the A-10 Thunderbolt attack jet, the E-3 AWACS, and the EC-130H and J variants. It is also making deep cuts to its aging F-15 fleet.

How Stealthy F-22 Raptors Learned to Take on Elusive Iranian Threats in the Middle East

How Stealthy F-22 Raptors Learned to Take on Elusive Iranian Threats in the Middle East

Jan. 2, 2025 | By Chris Gordon

When Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson was ordered to deploy to the Middle East last year, he and his fellow F-22 Raptor pilots prepared for an unusual challenge. 

As America’s premier air superiority fighter, the F-22 was designed to take on advanced enemy aircraft, capable of maneuvering stealthily and cruising at supersonic speeds. But the dangers that most concerned Johnson and his Airmen included Iranian-designed drones and cruise missiles that Tehran and its proxies have employed during the most recent stretch of unrest in the Middle East.

“We were not necessarily worried about shooting down anybody else’s airplanes,” Johnson said in an interview with Air & Space Forces Magazine. “We were primarily there to defend our ground forces against the threats that were being posed by the UAVs in the AOR, as well as the cruise missiles that we’ve seen become more prevalent, both from the Houthis as well as militia groups in the region.”

Given the changing character of war, the episode shows that even a high-end fighter needs to be prepared for low-end threats. 

The challenge began when F-22s from the 90th Fighter Squadron, which Johnson commands, were rushed to the Middle East in early August from their home base at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, after Israel killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Iran threatened to retaliate.

The F-22s reached the Middle East on short notice and were flying combat missions within a day of arriving at an air base in the region that U.S. military officials have declined to identify.

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 8, 2024, as part of the U.S. force posture changes in the region to address threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed groups. U.S. Air Force photo

The drone threat they faced was not a hypothetical one. Iran had launched over 80 drones when it attacked Israel in April 2024, which were shot down by American F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16s, as well as some allied jets.

Drones and cruise missiles were also in the hands of Iran-backed groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, which meant there were several geographically disparate air threats in the region.

“It was a very fluid situation,” Johnson said. “… Knowing exactly where threats were coming from and when is becoming exponentially more difficult to discern because the threat has just proliferated to the point that it can literally be one person from anywhere with a single UAV.”

Though the drones posed less of a threat to the F-22s than a high-end Chinese fighter, downing them presented some challenges. Like the F-16s and F-15Es, the F-22s that have been deployed to the region in recent months have Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars, which makes detecting drones easier, a senior U.S. defense official noted to Air & Space Forces Magazine. But it is still not an easy task. Not only were the drones very small, but their slow speed always made them hard to detect. 

“It’s air-to-air [combat], but it is a different type of air-to-air than we’ve ever really trained to before,” Johnson said. “Even the difference between a cruise missile and a UAV is significant in terms of your tactics, how you find it, how you kill it. They pose very significant identification problems.” 

Two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors fly in formation over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 10, 2024. U.S. Air Force photo

The F-22s had some lessons to draw on. Maj. Benjamin Coffey of the 494th Fighter Squadron, who was awarded the Silver Star for downing some of the drones in his F-15E in April, had written a paper on the subject.  

“He wrote a paper, essentially, reviewing everybody’s tapes through those first couple shoot-downs … like, ‘here’s how you will execute if you find a drone out there,’” Capt. Brian Tesch of the 494th Fighter Squadron said. “This isn’t something you can just go out there and randomly practice.”

U.S. Air Forces in Europe boss Gen. James B. Hecker said in November that he had ensured that the paper was distributed to units deploying to the Middle East. Johnson said he and his pilots were able to draw on the previous lessons learned by the Air Force while refining the tactics to deal with potential drone threats.

“Even though this specific mission is not taught in any of our syllabi, part of what the Weapons School teaches is that community of connectivity and problem-solving that is flexible enough that it can apply to problem sets that we haven’t even thought of yet,” Johnson said.

Given the reputation of the F-22 and the success U.S. and allied Airmen enjoyed against the drones in April, Iran elected not to use UAVs when it attacked Israel in October. Instead, it relied exclusively on ballistic missiles, which Israeli and U.S. air defense systems countered. The F-22s returned home just before Thanksgiving.

The F-22 “is both a strategic and tactical asset,” notes Johnson. “That gives anybody pause to think about how capable their defenses are when that platform is in theater.”

Still, preparations the F-22 crews have made to deal with the Iranian drone threats could prove useful in the years ahead.

“That’s 100 percent applicable” to other scenarios, Johnson said. “I think pretty much anybody can look at the current environment and know that if a global conflict breaks out between superpowers, that this is 100 percent going to be a part of the problem that we have.”

News Editor Greg Hadley contributed reporting.

Experts: New Chinese Combat Aircraft Likely a Medium-Range Bomber

Experts: New Chinese Combat Aircraft Likely a Medium-Range Bomber

Jan. 2, 2025 | By John A. Tirpak

Imagery of two new, tailless Chinese military aircraft disseminated on social media last week likely reveals a prototype stealth medium bomber and a new lambda-winged technology demonstrator, aerospace experts and former Air Force officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The larger aircraft could be analogous to the FB-22 medium stealth bomber considered but not adopted by the U.S. Air Force in the early 2000s.    

The larger aircraft, speculatively dubbed JH-36 by the aviation press for the “bort” number seen in some images, is likely the “medium bomber” referenced in the most recent edition of the Pentagon’s annual report on China’s military power, released in mid-December. Since 2019, the annual report has mentioned a “JH-XX” medium bomber under development.

“The [People’s Liberation Army Air Force] is developing new medium- and long-range bombers to strike regional and global targets,” the most recent report stated, adding only that these aircraft are likely to have extremely low observable characteristics.  

The PLAAF is known to be developing a flying-wing large bomber, called the H-20, similar to the American B-2, but the aircraft seen in December differs substantially from what that aircraft is expected to be.

“The Air Force has been closely monitoring China’s ongoing military modernization efforts,” a service official said on background. “This development is consistent with our understanding of China’s strategic objectives and long-term force planning. Their new weapons systems introduce additional complexity in the PLA, which requires highly skilled personnel to actually employ them to the max extent of their capability.”

The “JH-36” seen in the video and still imagery—which was not censored or commented on by the Chinese government—is a large aircraft, about 30 percent larger than the 70-foot J-20S two-seat “Mighty Dragon” apparently flying chase in the images. The new flying wing delta airplane has no vertical control surfaces but has five flaperons on each side of the trailing edge of the wing, heavily deflected to near-vertical in some of the images, and moving independently. A tailless aircraft is inherently stealthier than one with vertical control surfaces, offering less of a target for radar, and would typically be lighter, allowing for extended range.

The quirky, many-element flaperon system may also mean “they haven’t mastered thrust vectoring and control,” an industry expert said, adding “they’re not 10 feet tall.”  

The aircraft is likely a Chengdu product, as it was chased by Chengdu’s J-20S.

The aircraft has three inlets: one dorsal inlet at mid-fuselage, and two ventral inlets near the nose, in a parallelogram-shape reminiscent of the F-22, and three apparent above-wing exhausts, suggesting three engines. The exhausts are similar to those on the B-2 and Northrop Grumman’s YF-23 competitor in the Advanced Tactical Fighter program, which was won by Lockheed with the F-22. The dorsal inlet is different from the other two, but seems shaped for stealth, as it is reminiscent of that in Northrop Grumman’s unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Have Blue stealth demonstrator program won by Lockheed.    

Three engines would make the aircraft very heavy—or at least reduce its range and payload—and experts speculated that the reason for three may have to do with generating power for intense electronic warfare applications or to mix bypass air with the exhaust air to cool it and reduce the aircraft’s heat signature.

According to the Pentagon report, China’s indigenous engine industry is unlikely to have matched the technology in the American Adaptive Engine Technology Program (AETP), which produced prototype engines using bypass technology that could be optimized for specific thrust or loitering, with additional stealthiness as a byproduct. An expected competition between those engines—one built by GE Aerospace and one by Pratt & Whitney—was meant to upgrade the F-35 but was abandoned because they could not fit all variants of that fighter.

One aerospace technologist said the third engine is “either a brilliant solution to have both power and stealthiness” or “dumb, flying around with the dead weight of unused propulsion mass.”

He speculated that the ventral engine inlets may be used for takeoff and landing, while the ventrally-fed engine might be used for cruise, thus extending range.

Topside views of the JH-36 aircraft were more limited, grainy and indistinct, and it could not be ascertained if the cockpit is for one or two crew, in tandem or side-by-side. The opaqueness of the canopy in the available images could even suggest it is an uncrewed airplane and that the canopy is merely painted on. The use of a two-seat J-20S as chase plane could lend support to this speculation, as the backseater might have been controlling the JH-36 or standing by to take control in an emergency.

Image from social media

The jet has an internal weapons bay, and tandem wheels, typically used on heavy aircraft. The bays were not opened while cameras were rolling. The aircraft also seems to have large apertures adjacent to the nose, reminiscent of the Distributed Aperture System (DAS) on the F-35, but significantly larger.

One industry expert said the JH-36 reminds him of the Lockheed FB-22 because of its size, and because some of its forward-fuselage features reflect the heritage of the J-20. He noted that the FB-22—an adaptation of the stealth fighter to hold more weapons and fuel—was offered when the Air Force’s Next-Generation Bomber was canceled, creating a potential gap in penetrating bomber capacity. The Chinese medium bomber may have had a similar genesis, if their developers have run into problems delaying the H-20’s introduction.  

“The FB-22 would have been a pretty straightforward stopgap,” he said, “re-using the fuselage and systems of the F-22 with an extension and bigger wings to hold more weapons and fuel.” The Air Force considered the concept but dropped it when it was approved to undertake a new long-range bomber program.

“Given the likely first steps in a Taiwan scenario, a medium-range bomber makes sense for the PLAAF,” an industry technologist said. However, the aircraft could also be “a technology demonstrator, or even a fighter. We just can’t tell at this point,” an industry expert said.

The other aircraft revealed, in images with diminished detail, is also a tailless aircraft with a lambda-style wing planform and an overall arrowhead-like design.

It has a two-engine exhaust system similar to that of the F-22, potentially suggesting that China is exploring a number of ways to reduce the heat signature and possible thrust vectoring of combat aircraft engines. Apparently smaller than the JH-36, the second, fighter-size aircraft had tricycle landing gear. It was chased by a J-16, an Su-27 variant made by the Shenyang Aircraft Corp., so it may be a Shenyang product. It seems unlikely the two new aircraft are competitors, given the apparent difference in their size.

Imagery of the second aircraft did not offer a clear view of the upper nose area, so it’s unclear if there is a cockpit or if it is potentially an uncrewed vehicle in the same class as the first increment of the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

The date of the imagery’s release, Dec. 26, is significant in that it is the birthday of Mao Zedong, the PRC’s founder and longtime leader, and the date on which the J-20 was similarly unveiled on the internet in 2010. Uncoincidentally, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was on a visit to China at the time, and Gates had previously predicted that China would not have a fifth-generation stealth fighter for another decade. In his memoir, Gates called that unveiling “about as big a ‘f— you’ as you can get.”

New Air Force Career Fields Getting Reenlistment Bonuses in 2025—Here They Are

New Air Force Career Fields Getting Reenlistment Bonuses in 2025—Here They Are

Jan. 2, 2025 | By Greg Hadley

From pararescuemen to paralegals, the Air Force is expanding bonus opportunities for Active-Duty Airmen in certain career fields who reenlist in 2025. 

The service expanded its Selective Retention Bonus to 89 Air Force Specialty Codes on Dec. 16, a few months after the start of the fiscal year. That’s up from 73 a year ago and 51 the year before that.  

The full list of career fields leaked on social media, and a service spokesperson confirmed its authenticity to Air & Space Forces Magazine. In recent years, the Air Force has declined to release public lists of career fields eligible for retention bonuses and special duty assignment pay, instead making them available on myFSS, accessible only to those on Active-Duty. 

A records request by Air & Space Forces Magazine for some of those lists remains unfulfilled. 

The reenlistment bonus program regularly expands and contracts based on broader retention trends in the Air Force—if retention dips, Airmen in more career fields may be included to entice them to stay. When retention soared during the depths of the COVID pandemic, the program cut back to just 37 career fields, but as recently as 2019 it included more than 100. 

The new career fields for 2025 include: 

  • Aviators for some of the Air Force’s newest platforms, such as boom operator for the KC-46, loadmaster for the C-130J, and airborne maintenance technician for the EA-37B. 
  • Cyber operations specialists and technicians 
  • Human intelligence analysts 
  • Special investigations 

The inclusion of more cyber career fields is particularly noteworthy given that the Air Force is reintroducing warrant officers in the cyber and IT fields. While the program is small to start, the extra bonuses could be a sign that the Air Force is wary of losing too much experience from the enlisted force. 

Most of last year’s career fields carried over, including jobs that service officials consistently say they have trouble staffing, such as special operations commandos, explosive ordnance disposal, and military working dog handlers. 

A few did drop off the list, however, including nuclear weapons maintenance. Airmen whose career fields were removed or reduced have until Feb. 15 to take advantage of last year’s standards. 

The exact amount of bonus funds awarded varies based on several factors, including Airmen’s monthly basic pay, the length of the reenlistment, and experience level. The leaked list includes four “zones” ranging from just 17 months of service up to 20 years. 

Just last year, the Air Force upped the maximum allowable reenlistment bonus to $180,000, with a career cap set at $360,000. Those figures remain in 2025. 

Air Force Specialty CodeSpecial Experience IdentifierCareer FieldZone AZone BZone CZone E
1A1X2GMobility Force Aviatior (KC-46 Boom Operator)0222
1A1X2DMobility Force Aviatior (C-130J Loadmaster)2212
1A1X3ESpecial Mission Aviator (MC-130)2202
1A1X4DMulti-Domain Operations Aviator (E-11 Mission Coordinator/Payload Operator)2230
1A1X4EMulti-Domain Operations Aviator (EC-130H/EA-37B Airborne Maintenance Technician)2200
1A1X8AExecutive Mission Assistant (C-32/C-40 Flight Attendant)2222
1A8X1GAirborne Cryptologic Language Analyst – Chinese4.53.532
1A8X1HAirborne Cryptologic Language Analyst – Korean1110
1A8X1IAirborne Cryptologic Language Analyst – Russian4.53.52.51
1A8X1KAirborne Cryptologic Language Analyst – Persian4300
1B4X1Cyber Warfare Operations7753
1C1X1Air Traffic Control3320
1C3X1All-Domain Command and Control Operations2321
1C5X1DBattle Management Ops (Weapons Director)4443.5
1C7X1Airfield Management3000
1D7X1ACyber Systems Operations (Network Operations Specialist)2210
1D7X1BCyber Systems Operations (System Administration Specialist)2210
1D7X1DCyber Systems Operations (Cyber Security Technician)0110
1D7X1ECyber Systems Operations (Technical Support Specialist)1100
1D7X1M1AMCyber Systems Operations (Cybersecurity)0110
1D7X1P1ANCyber Systems Operations (Data Operations)7753
1D7X1Q1AOCyber Systems Operations (Enterprise Operations)1100
1D7X1Q1AL, 1APCyber Systems Operations (Enterprise Operations)2210
1D7X1W1AL, 1APCyber Systems Operations (Expeditionary Communications)2220
1D7X1W1AOCyber Systems Operations (Expeditionary Communications)1100
1D7X1ZCyberspace Operations (Software Development Specialist)7753
1D7X3CCable and Antenna Defense Operations – Cable and Antenna Operations3000
1H0X1Aerospace Physiology0022
1N2X1ASignals Intelligence (Electronic Non-Communications Analyst)2000
1N3X1GCryptologic Language Analyst (Chinese)3.5320
1N3X1ICryptologic Language Analyst (Russian)3.5320
1N3X1KCryptologic Language Analyst (Persian)3200
1N4X1ACyber Intelligence (Analysis)2220
1N7X1Human Intelligence Specialist0110
1N8X1Targeting Analyst3420
1P0X1AAircrew Flight Equipment (Ejection Seat Aircraft)2000
1P0X1BAircrew Flight Equipment (Non-Ejection Seat Aircraft)2000
1T0X1Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape7753
1Z1X1Pararescue7753
1Z2X1Combat control7753
1Z3X1TACP7753
1Z4X1Special Reconaissance7753
2A373Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman0303
2A375Advanced Fighter Aircraft Integrated Avionics Craftsman0222
2A377Tactical Aircraft Maintenance (5th Generation) Craftsman0120
2A3X5BAdvanced Fighter Aircraft Integrated Avionics (F-35)2500
2A5X1AAirlift/Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance (C-20/C-21/C-22/C-37/C-40/E-4/VC-25)4000
2A531MAirlift/Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance (MQ-1/9)1200
2A531RAirlift/Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance (RQ-4)1200
2A551Airlift/Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance1200
2A571Airlift/Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman0330
2A574Refuel/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman0112
2A5X4CRefuel/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance – KC-463300
2A5X4DRefuel/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance – B-520.5000
2A5X4ERefuel/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance – B-10500
2A5X4FRefuel/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance – B-22100
2A934BHeavy Aircraft Integrated Avionics – Remotely Piloted Aircraft23.500
2A954Heavy Aircraft Integrated Avionics23.500
2G0X1Logistics Plans02.521
2M0X0Missile and Space System Maintenance0004
2M0X1Missile and Space System Electronic Maintenance2124
2M0X2Missile and Space System Maintenance3214
2M0X3Missile and Space Facilities3214.5
3E5X1Engineering1100
3E8X1Explosive Ordnance Disposal54.543
3F371Manpower0030
3P0X1ASecurity Forces (Military Working Dog Handler)2110
3P0X1BSecurity Forces (Combat Arms)1110
4C0X1Mental Health Service2110
4H0X1Respiratory Care Practitioner2110
4J0X2Physical Medicine0200
4J0X2APhysical Medicine (Orthotic)0250
4N0X1CAerospace Medical Service (Independent Duty Medical Technician)2.52.520
4N0X1DAerospace Medical Service (Allergy/Immunization Technician)1110
4N0X1FAerospace Medical Service (Flight and Operational Medicine)2210
4N0X1GAerospace Medical Service (Aeromedical Evacuation)1.5210
4N0X1HAerospace Medical Service (National Registry Paramedic)3210
4N1X1BSurgical Technologist (Urology)1200
4N1X1CSurgical Technologist (Orthopedics)11.500
4N1X1DSurgical Technologist (Otorhinolaryngology)1000
4P0X1Pharmacy3000
4R0X1ADiagnostic Imaging (Nuclear medicine)0200
4R0X1BDiagnostic Imaging (Diagnostic Medical Sonography)12.52.50
4R0X1CDiagnostic Imaging – MRI0200
4V0X1SOphthalmology0330
4Y0X0Dental superintendent0003
4Y0X1HDental hygienist0111
5J0X1Paralegal0003
5R0X1Religious Affairs0022
7S0X1Special Investigations0202.5
SECAF, B-21, Budgets: The Top Stories We’re Tracking for 2025

SECAF, B-21, Budgets: The Top Stories We’re Tracking for 2025

Dec. 30, 2024 | By Greg Hadley

Air & Space Forces Magazine traveled the the globe in 2024 to cover the biggest stories involving the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, from Ukraine to the Middle East, from Florida to California. Between regional conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific, not to mention budget battles and a major “re-organization” effort, there have been no shortage of storylines to follow.

Now, as we head into 2025, here are some of the stories that we’ll be keeping a close eye on.

Who’s the Boss? 

It’s not just a beloved 1980s sitcom—it’s also the biggest unknown facing the Department of the Air Force as it heads into the new year. President-elect Donald Trump has announced his picks for virtually every other major Pentagon post, including the other service secretaries. But his choice for the Air Force remains unknown. 

The pick could reverse course from outgoing Secretary Frank Kendall, who emphasized the need for modernization with his Operational Imperatives and pushed for a sweeping re-organization. They could try to shepherd those initiatives to completion. They could focus on Trump’s stated desire to “purge” the military of diversity initiatives, or place a greater emphasis on readiness. Until there’s a person tapped to take over as 27th Secretary of the Air Force, we just don’t know. 

What Happens to NGAD and CCA? 

Perhaps the most pressing decision facing whomever Trump picks is what to do about the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter 

NGAD was long seen as the successor to the F-22 as the Air Force’s top air-to-air platform. That was all throw up in the air when Kendall announced a “pause” on the program in July 2024, citing the price of the fighter amid a constrained budget and the emergence of new technologies like Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones. 

A Boeing artist’s concept of a Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter. Mike Tsukamoto/staff; Boeing

Kendall formed a blue-ribbon panel of former Air Chiefs and other experts to review NGAD but after additional study, preliminary media reports indicate minimal changes to the project. Kendall took the input, but deferred a decisions on the program to the new administration, arguing that he wants the new leadership team to “own” the choice and offer a clear path forward to industry. 

The corollary to the NGAD question is CCA—the program to develop autonomous drones that can fly alongside manned platforms. Kendall has said his work pushing forward CCA is likely to be his biggest legacy as secretary, and there seems to be a common consensus on the importance of the program. But just how fast it can move forward remains to be seen. Officials have said they want several hundred drones flying by the end of the decade. 

What’s Next for B-21? 

The B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s stealthy, secretive new bomber, entered flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., at the very beginning of 2024, and little has been said since.  

The service has released a few pictures and a video, aviation enthusiasts have snapped a few photos of their own, and officials have said that generally everything is going well with the new aircraft, which has been described as the world’s first “sixth-generation” aircraft and will eventually comprise one-half of the Air Force bomber fleet alongside the B-52. 

But there are precious few details on its flight testing program besides the fact that it has been flying up to twice a week, and there are no hard timelines set for when the Raider might enter service. 

Of note, B-1 bombers have been relocated from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to allow for construction on the base’s runway in advance of the first B-21’s arrival. The base has said that is expected in the “mid-2020s.” 

Curious observers will be hungry for more details, however few or vague, in 2025. 

Integrated Capabilities Command 

One of the biggest changes from the re-organization the Air Force announced earlier this year was the creation of a new command to coordinate the service’s requirements process. ICC, as envisioned, would centralize and streamline how the Air Force sets requirements for its future force, while freeing other commands to focus more on current needs. 

In September, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced the standup of a provisional ICC, with the goal of achieving full operational capability in 2025. But he has noted that of all the reorg plans the service announced, this command may be the toughest to drive to completion. 

Part of that challenge is because the new command will require moving personnel and establishing a headquarters, which means it will receive special attention from lawmakers and will need Congressional approval. But there is also the question of how the ICC commander, expected to be a three-star general, will be able to juggle the desires of all the other commands, some led by four-stars, who will likely be advocating for their future needs. A four-star commander might be needed to ensure ICC can take the leadership role it needs.

REFORPAC 

Another initiative announced was a major exercise in the Indo-Pacific in summer 2025. Officials later debuted the name “Resolute Force Pacific,” or REFORPAC, to evoke the annual REFORGER (“Return of Forces to Germany”) exercises the U.S. conducted for years during the Cold War. 

The scale of the exercise is meant to be vast—nearly 300 aircraft spread across 25 locations in the Pacific, outstripping all other major exercises the service has held in recent years. 

U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft line up on the runway during an elephant walk at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Apr. 10, 2024. Directly after, the aircrew launched into a large force exercise to strengthen their readiness to defend Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alexis Redin)

But leaders have warned that the scale of the exercise may have to be pared back if Congress does not pass a new budget in time. The Pentagon is currently operating on a continuing resolution that freezes funding levels at last year’s levels until March 2025.  

Pacific Air Forces boss Gen. Kevin B. Schneider told Air & Space Forces Magazine in December that planning for REFORPAC is underway, with options in place depending on the funds available. Either way, large-scale exercises are seen as crucial to work out joint operating concepts and command and control kinds for future combat against a peer like China. 

Warrant Officers 

One of the most popular changes the Air Force announced in 2024 was the reintroduction of warrant officers inthe cyber and IT career fields. Warrant officers fill technical rather than leadership functions, and Air Force officials say the cyber and IT fields are so fast-moving, they need experts who are more interested in staying up to date on the latest technical knowledge than climbing a leadership career ladder.  

The first class of warrant officers graduated in December, and another cohort isn’t far behind. But there are still lots of unknowns—how the Air Force will employ these new warrant officers, what the feedback will be on their value to commands, and which other career fields might be added next.  

Space Force Growth 

After explosive growth in its early years, the Space Force faced its first proposed budget cut for 2025, though a final defense spending bill has still yet to be approved.  

Meanwhile, leaders have grown increasingly vocal about the need for more manpower and resources to fulfill all the Space Force’s growing missions, particularly counter-space efforts. 

The service got its start under President Donald Trump, and his return to office could boost its efforts to expand. If the new administration does support a bigger Space Force, the rate at which it grows will be watched closely. It will also be interesting to note if new leaders place more emphasis on the mission of offensive space or discuss it more openly—it has long been considered a taboo topic but has been a key discussion point in Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman’s push for more resources. 

Air Force Growth 

The Air Force has been squeezed by rising costs for nuclear modernization and the need to modernize other parts of the force. That’s driven controversial decisions to retire equipment, particularly fighter aircraft, to free funding to pay for future modernization.

Congress has resisted those cuts, but also shown skepticism about the F-35 fighter and the Air Force’s overall strategy. The only real way to solve the problem is to increase overall spending on the Air Force and to “buy more Air Force,” in the words of Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. The incoming administration will face major decisions about how to pay for more Air Force and what it might be willing to give up to acquire more jets faster.

Airdrops, Port Dawgs, and More: 10 of Our Best Stories from 2024

Airdrops, Port Dawgs, and More: 10 of Our Best Stories from 2024

Dec. 26, 2024 | By David Roza

It’s been another busy year at Air & Space Forces Magazine reporting on the United States Air Force and Space Force, and we could not have done it without you, the readers.

We looked back on the past 12 months to find the stories that resonated the most with you, our audience, and these 10 topped the list. Maybe you missed one the first time around, or perhaps you’d like to revisit a favorite under a warm blanket after a long day of holiday cheer. Either way, enjoy the highlights below. We can’t wait to share more stories with you in 2025. Until then, happy holidays!

Airdrops to Gaza: The Art and Science of One of the Largest Aid Missions Since the Berlin Airlift

The U.S. Air Force and its partners dropped hundreds of thousands of meals to famished Gazans this spring as efforts to bring in humanitarian aid by land and sea were stymied. Airmen try to calculate all the variables, from the altitude, to weight, to the effect of the wind, but it’s obvious looking out the back of this massive jet aircraft that airdrops are as much art as science. 

How the Air Force Flew a 1,000-Mile Open Ocean Rescue

The 129th Rescue Wing is one of few organizations on Earth that can rescue patients hundreds of miles offshore, thanks to its fleet of HC-130J planes and HH-60G helicopters. Aircrews, PJs, and a translator who volunteered at the last minute for a long-range rescue recounted how they made one high-risk, life-saving mission look easy.

‘Masters of the Air’ Nails Many Details, Misses Context

The new nine-part TV series, “Masters of the Air,” masterfully captures the grueling reality of life in the U.S. Army Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group during the daylight bombing campaign over Europe in World War II. But viewers watching the series on Apple TV+ might miss the larger historical context, according to one expert.

Mobility Pilots Prepare to Fight Fatigue in All-Out Pacific Conflict

Fatigue is a common safety hazard in aviation, especially over the vast distances that define the Indo-Pacific theater. Tanker and transport air crews and flight medicine experts shared how they’re using science, hot food, and wearables to prepare for non-stop flying in a war with China. 

David Flosi’s Journey From Broke College Student to New CMSAF

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Flosi shared how mentorship and opportunities transformed him from a junior Airman set on serving four years to pay for college into the service’s senior enlisted leader with the Legion of Merit and 28 years of service.

Sun, Spades, and Forklifts: ‘Port Dawgs’ Run the Show at Bamboo Eagle

While it sounds simple, aerial porting is a delicate balance of math, physics, technique, and elbow grease which, if improperly mixed, can endanger aircrews and slow the movement of war-winning equipment or life-saving supplies by days when every minute counts. This article shows how ‘Port Dawgs’ played a vital role in a massive exercise preparing for a near-peer fight.

Silver Star Airpower: Inside an F-15 Mission to Block an Attack on Israel

In April, Air Force fighters shot down 80 Iranian drones in one of the largest displays of combat airpower in decades. F-15E Strike Eagle crews who received the Distinguished Flying Cross for their efforts shared what it was like flying into the dark, chaotic airspace over the Middle East that night.

Behind the Scenes of a Minuteman ICBM Launch with Three Test Warheads

What does it take to send an aging missile 4,200 miles across an ocean in 30 minutes? Months of preparation, teams of service members across the country, gigabytes of data, diplomatic coordination, and a long night in California, all unpacked play-by-play in this article.

New Report: Wargames Show CCA Could Have Huge Influence in a Pacific War

A series of wargames run by the Mitchell Institute showed that when used by the U.S. Air Force in large numbers, CCAs—autonomous drones meant to supplement the manned fleet—compelled China to expend large numbers of missiles, created beneficial chaos in the battlespace, and overall were a cost-imposing factor on the adversary,

At This Air Force Depot, Advanced Manufacturing Is Cutting Edge No Longer

Air Force leaders have long promised a future where maintainers use 3D-printing technology to manufacture replacement parts faster than they can be shipped across the world. Now, a small group of engineers, technicians, and machinists are moving that additive manufacturing technology out of the future and into the present.

DOD to Track Suicide Deaths By Job Specialty Under New Law

DOD to Track Suicide Deaths By Job Specialty Under New Law

Dec. 23, 2024 | By David Roza

A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.

Section 736 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2025 calls for “the number of suicides … disaggregated by the military occupational specialty (or other similar classification, rating, or specialty code) of the member,” as well as a compilation of such data to determine which career fields have a higher per capita suicide rates compared to other career fields, the overall suicide rate for each service, the Department of Defense, and the national rate.

Congress passed the provision and the rest of the NDAA on Dec. 18, and it is currently awaiting President Joe Biden’s final signature. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) backed the provision, which comes four months after the Defense Department delivered a report breaking down suicide deaths by job specialty since 2011.

That report was mandated by the 2023 NDAA, which tasked the Pentagon with providing a breakdown of military suicides since 2001 by year, military job code, and status (Active-Duty, Reserve, or National Guard).

Advocates hope releasing that data will help officials better understand the stressors affecting specific military jobs, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Chris McGhee told Air & Space Forces Magazine in April.

“Anecdotally we know [suicide rates are] really bad in certain career fields,” said the former F-16 maintainer, who helped champion the NDAA measure to King’s office. “I consider this to be a starting point to investigate what is going on within those career fields that is driving these suicide rates.”

The Pentagon delivered “Report on Incidence of Military Suicides by Military Job Code” several months late in July. The report identified groups of military jobs with the highest rates of suicide, but it did not break the data down by individual career fields. Fields as disparate as special forces, conventional infantry, and military training instructors were lumped together into one category, as were aircraft maintainers from a wide range of types of aircraft and maintenance specialties.

The Pentagon said it lumped fields together because calculating rates when the number of deaths totaled less than 20 would invite statistical instability. The report also did not include data going back to 2001 as directed by the NDAA—the Pentagon said it did not have a system for reliably tracking suicide deaths before 2011. But a 2010 DOD study of military suicides from 2001 to 2009 suggests otherwise, and also lists suicide deaths even when they were fewer than 20.

In September, King told Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III that the data fell short of what was required by law.

“I am concerned that the Department did not fully comply,” the senator wrote. He requested the Pentagon redo the report with the “raw data” going back to 2001, and to include caveats where it might lead to inconsistent data.

“I urge you to include as much information as possible rather than rejecting all data for a given year,” King wrote. “Including the ‘raw data’ with the rates will help to address the challenges you identified with invalid or incorrect conclusions based solely by comparing rates.”

After the letter, the Pentagon and King’s office began working through how to provide that data. A defense official told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the department was concerned about privacy.

“DOD must ensure that our publicly reported data does not result in the identification of service members who have died by suicide,” the official said. “We have a responsibility to maintain the privacy of decedents and their loved ones. Moreover, releasing data that has been stratified by numerous categories (i.e., job code, age, duty status, year) introduces serious privacy concerns for our service members and their families.”

McGhee pointed out that the 2023 NDAA technically does not require the report be made public, just as long as it is sent to Congress. But with just a month until President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the discussion is on hold until new Pentagon leadership comes in.

“We have long memories: we know that DOD fell short, and we will raise that with the next group of DOD officials,” a staffer tracking the issue closely with King’s office told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “We’re focused on the windshield, but we have an eye on the rearview mirror.”

King’s office has been working on the section in the 2025 NDAA requiring job specialty data in future annual suicide death reports since the start of this year, the staffer said. Frustration with the July 31 report drove language in a joint explanatory statement accompanying the NDAA, which closely echoes King’s letter to Austin.

In instances of incomplete data “we urge the Department to include as much information as possible in the report rather than rejecting all data for such years due to incompleteness,” members of Congress wrote in the statement. “We also urge the Department to include raw data in addition to information about rates of suicide as a way to provide some insight on military suicide, even if the full data for a given year is incomplete.”

However, the bill itself allows the Defense Department to exclude “such specialties that the Secretary determines would not provide statistically valid data” in its breakdown of suicide deaths by job specialty. A King spokesperson did not see a contradiction between that clause and the joint statement.

“It actually shifts the pressure on [the department] to provide as much information as they can justify,” he said. “Because if you were to have somebody say, ‘well, I didn’t think that that was significant,’ that would not be a pleasant exchange in a room full of Senators with long memories.”

The bill does not require the Pentagon to explain what it considers statistically valid. Still, the staffer indicated a collaborative relationship between Congress, the Pentagon officials charged with suicide prevention and data collection efforts, and watchdogs such as the Government Accountability Office.

“My assessment is that the department is not trying to hide something. There is no nefarious activity, and Sen. King has never said they’re hiding something from him,” he said, pointing out that the Defense Department proactively met with members of Congress to discuss its annual suicide report before its release this year.

“That is new behavior from the Department of Defense, engaging members ahead of time and not just sending an email to the committee ‘we’re going to release this report tomorrow. Have a nice day,’” he said. “Our approach is, and Sen. King has said this several times: ‘hey, we are working together with you to address this problem,’ and that is our approach.”

McGhee was skeptical, arguing that the department “willfully ignored” the 2023 NDAA’s mandate and may do the same with the 2025 NDAA.

“While I appreciate any progress, the language deeply concerns me,” he said. “Allowing the DOD to determine what is ‘statistically valid’ undermines the intent of the law. Worse, this provision doubles down on passivity. Congress has shifted from mandating action to ‘urging’ the DOD to comply when possible.”

Service members and veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, and those who know a service member or veteran in crisis, can call the Veterans/Military Crisis Line for confidential support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Call 988 and press 1; text 988; or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.