ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- In a memorandum to commanders, Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said: “The Air Force must be prepared to fly and fix so we can fight and win. We will maintain this posture through increased focus on readiness and modernization in a commander-focused service.”
In March 2024, several initiatives were announced to prepare the Air Force for competition. Since that announcement, fluctuations in priorities, resources, and methods have led to significant changes in those efforts; these are listed below:
- Implemented/Continuing
• Large Scale Exercises: The Department Level Exercise (DLE) was executed over the summer of 2025 as the largest exercise in the Indo-Pacific since the Cold War. Continuous evaluation of this exercise series will ensure the required resource investment is leading to valuable readiness returns.
• Warrant Officers: Since Dec. 6, 2024, the Air Force has graduated over 100 warrant officers. We will continue to recruit warrant officers to expand technical expertise in the cyber and information technology fields.
• No/Limited Notice Inspections: Unit readiness will continue to be evaluated through honest evaluations of capabilities and areas in which to improve.
• DAF Integrated Capabilities Office (SAF/IC): SAF/IC drives critical modernization recommendations, integrating air and space capabilities. The Department of the Air Force chief scientist will be incorporated into SAF/IC.
• Office of Competitive Activities (SAF/OC): SAF/OC was established in November 2024. It will continue to lead the legacy DAF mission areas and several new competition-focused mission areas as directed by the Secretary of the Air Force.
• Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Integrated Development Office (IDO): The IDO provides increased speed to DAF warfighter capability delivery by increasing focus, rigor and data to accompany early acquisition efforts.
• Multi-Capable Airmen: Airmen will continue to receive training outside of their primary Air Force Specialty Code to ensure the flexibility required for distributed operations and agile combat employment.
• Restructuring Spares Systems: A list of prioritized support was established for the FY26/7 Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBES) process.
• Wing Units of Action (UoA): The USAF wing will remain the primary unit of action using an Air Expeditionary Wing 2.0 construct, where a single wing will source the majority of the command-and-control and base operating support with teamed augmentation from additional wings. In garrison, the wings will retain the group organizational construct, with group commanders, and will not transition to A-staffs. Our focus is to minimize change-fatigue to Airmen and enable commanders to concentrate on readiness, lethality, and mission accomplishment.
- Terminated
• Airman Develop Command (ADC): Air Education and Training Command (AETC) will remain the Air Force’s training and development major command and will not become ADC.
• Integrated Capabilities Command: This function is being integrated into Headquarters Air Force A5/7 with the appointment of a chief modernization officer by April 1, 2026.
• Reorientation of Air Combat Command (ACC): ACC’s mission remains to organize, train, and equip combat ready Airmen.
• Service Component Commands: Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) and Air Forces Northern Command (AFNORTH)/Air Forces Space (AFSPACE) will remain Numbered Air Forces (NAFs). Air Forces Southern Command (AFSOUTH) will remain the Air Component to United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), but 12AF will be re-established as a NAF inside of ACC including the mission of organizing, training, and equipping Air Force Forces assigned to 12AF.
• Combat Wings and Base Command Relationship: New Air Base Wings (ABW) will not be established. Current standing ABWs will remain.
• Program Assessment and Evaluation Office: This program will be integrated into the Office of Studies and Analysis (SAF/SA).
• AFMC Information Dominance Systems Center, Air Force Nuclear Systems Center, and Air Dominance Systems Support Center: The creation of these centers has been terminated in favor of more effective sustainment and support approaches.
Meink and Wilsbach concluded the memo saying: “As our adversaries and the strategic environment continue to evolve, our approach to ensuring a credible and ready force must also adjust. Air superiority is not guaranteed. Through flexibility and clear-eyed assessment, our Air Force will continue to fly, fix, and fight now and into the future.”