Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, along with the department’s top military leaders, emphasized to a Senate subcommittee the importance of timely budget approvals for the United States to modernize and compete effectively against China. Kendall highlighted the challenges posed by a competitor with greater purchasing power and emphasized the need for resources to keep pace with evolving military capabilities. The budget request for the 2025 fiscal year amounts to $217.5 billion, with allocations of $188.1 billion for the Air Force and $29.4 billion for the Space Force.
The leaders stressed the critical nature of having a new budget in place on time to ensure the nation’s security and international standing. They warned of consequences if Congress fails to approve the budget promptly, citing the delays in enacting the budget for the current fiscal year. The budget proposal focuses on capability modernization to address the growing military capabilities of China, with a strong emphasis on maintaining operational readiness and investing in the nation’s Airmen to preserve the country’s strategic advantage.
The Air Force and Space Force budget request includes investments in nuclear modernization, purchasing advanced fighter aircraft, and developing cutting-edge systems such as the Next Generation Air Dominance and the Advanced Battle Management System. The Space Force’s budget is aimed at building, training, and equipping forces to ensure space superiority, deterring conflict, and protecting the joint force. The leaders highlighted the importance of timely appropriations in achieving strategic objectives and emphasized the need for consistent and sufficient funding to support modernization efforts.
Despite facing challenges such as cost overruns and delays in certain programs, the leaders remain committed to advancing the military’s capabilities and ensuring readiness for potential threats. They highlighted the importance of avoiding further delays in budget approvals to maintain a reasonable pace of modernization and effectively compete with adversaries. The Senate subcommittee acknowledged the urgency of timely budget enactment and expressed support for ensuring that the Air Force and Space Force have the resources needed to fulfill their missions and protect the nation’s interests.
