The Air Force built its Fiscal 2015 budget request around what it must be able to do in 2023, based on various studies the service has undertaken over the last year, said service budget director Maj. Gen. James Martin. Alongside its traditional missions of global reach, power, and vigilance, by 2023 USAF must be able to “respond in hours, not days” to an order to act; to “fly, fight, and win from home to anywhere on the globe;” and “win against any adversary in a highly contested environment.” Guiding principles for the budget dictated that “when forced to cut capabilities (tooth), we must also cut the associated support structure and overhead (tail),” said Martin. Also, USAF will “maximize the contribution of the Total Force,” and fashion itself to be able to counter a “full-spectrum threat.” The bottom line, Martin said, is that “we will keep no more force structure than we can afford to keep ready.”
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.