Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III give a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)State of the Air Force Press Conference
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III give a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III give a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)State of the Air Force Press Conference
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III give a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III gives a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)State of the Air Force Press Conference
                        
                        
                        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III gives a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James gives a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)State of the Air Force Press Conference
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James gives a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III give a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)State of the Air Force Press Conference
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III give a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James gives a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)State of the Air Force Press Conference
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James gives a press conference on the "State of the Air Force" in the Pentagon March 7, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

AF senior leaders brief State of the Air ForcePublished March 7, 2016
                    
                    By Mike Martin
                    
                    
                    Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **WASHINGTON (AFNS) --**Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discussed the State of the Air Force during a press conference at the Pentagon March 7.
James acknowledged a lot has happened since the last State of the Air Force address in August 2015.
“In October, Russia launched its first airstrikes in Syria. In November, (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) terrorists attacked Paris again, as well as Lebanon, Mali, and here at home in San Bernadino. In January, China landed an aircraft on a newly built runway in the South China Sea ... and then a few weeks ago, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon,” she said.
James added in Afghanistan, the Taliban, al-Qaida, ISIL and other anti-government groups, continue to conduct attacks, undermine security, and create challenges to the people and government of Afghanistan.
“Your Air Force has been extremely busy and extremely effective,” James said. “In the past year, coalition forces upped the ante against (ISIL), flying more than 55,000 sorties in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.”
However, the service’s persistent effort takes a toll on aircraft, readiness and Airmen. James said the service’s Airmen are high demand, low density, using one career field to highlight the strain on the force.
“In the maintenance arena, because we have aging platforms ... the maintenance needs are going up,” James said. “We have thousands of maintainers in the force, but we actually need more maintainers going forward.”
Welsh agreed, adding maintenance professionals are working hard and retention could be a challenge.
“With six fleets of airplanes now over 50 years old, 21 or so fleets over 25 years old, it just gets tougher to keep them flying and we see that all over the Air Force,” he said.
James said after 20 years of downsizing, the Air Force has focused on infusing resources into both the recruiting force and the technical training bases.
“When you’re recruiting more and you’re retaining more ... that is how you grow. That’s the approach that we’re taking,” James said. “We hope to reach the 317,000 number on the active duty side by the end of this fiscal year.”
Welsh also spoke about remotely piloted aircraft training and crews, saying he expects the Air Force will train about 334 RPA pilots in fiscal year 2016, up from about 180 in past years.
Modernizing aircraft, James said, will provide warfighters with enhanced capabilities.
One example of the service’s effort to modernize is the B-21. James said in the case of the 21st century bomber the Air Force is leaning forward and trying to be more transparent.
“We’ve given the bomber a designation, shown you an artist’s rendering, given a detailed explanation of the acquisition approach, and told you how we’ll hold down costs,” James said.
James also announced that Airmen and families can now go online and submit their idea for naming the B-21 by clicking here.
As part of her remarks the secretary also shared the list of seven sub-contractors who will be working with Northrop Grumman in building the first bomber of the 21st century. The list includes: BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Janicki Industries, Orbital ATK, Pratt and Whitney, Rockwell Collins, and Spirit Aerosystems.SecAF 



CSAF 



state of the air force Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil