USAF, Space Force Brace For China With Major Overhaul
As China continues with its aggressive military posturing around the world, the U.S. Air Force and Space Force are undergoing their most significant changes in years. As reported by Military.com, this overhaul includes a series of strategic shifts and the reintroduction of warrant officers aimed at bolstering the forces’ capabilities in the face of China’s military advancements.
Department of Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, speaking in Aurora, Colorado, delivered a stark warning, emphasizing the situation’s urgency. Regarding the immediate need to respond to China’s 21st-century military buildup in the western Pacific, Kendall flatly declared, “We are out of time.”
Kendall, along with Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin and other officials, unveiled a comprehensive list of 24 changes across the Air Force and Space Force. These adjustments range from immediate actions to be completed within a year to more extensive renaming and rebranding efforts to prepare for “great power competition.” The change marks a shift to prioritizing defense spending, operational strategies and efficient allocation of resources. While the changes will enhance readiness against all threats, China is clearly the primary focus of the revisions.
"Air Force and Space Force officials are reportedly overhauling their structures to ready troops for competition with China." @SecDef Austin, where the hell have you been? China has been preparing for war for years. What have you and @JoeBiden been doing?https://t.co/OM3O6NRddQ
— Bruce Clark (@RealBruceClark) February 13, 2024
Allvin explained that reintroducing warrant officers to the force will enable airmen to “code for their country.” The shift in strategy recognizes the critical role of technological superiority in modern warfare.
The backdrop to these strategic overhauls is China’s explicit military intentions regarding Taiwan. Kendall cited Chinese President Xi Jinping’s directive for the Chinese military to be prepared to take Taiwan by force by 2027, even if the U.S. intervenes. This timeline coincides with the commissioning year of freshmen entering the Air Force Academy and ROTC units, underscoring the immediacy of the threat and the need for a prepared military force.
These proposed changes also extend to the Space Force, emphasizing creating standards that reflect operations under contested conditions rather than assuming a benign environment. This adjustment is crucial, given the increasingly contested nature of space as a domain of military operations.
However, despite these plans’ urgency and comprehensive nature, funding remains a significant challenge. Kendall acknowledged the absence of allocated funds for implementing these changes in the 2024 or 2025 budget, with hopes pinned on the 2026 fiscal year for potential financial support.