Air Force Secretary Wilson highlights plans to expand the air force at Club luncheon

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson reiterated Trump Administration plans to expand the Air Force to counter growing military challenges from Russia and China during a National Press Club Headliners Luncheon address on Wednesday, Sept. 26.

Wilson, a former National Security Council staffer and Congresswoman from New Mexico, commended Congress for being on track to pass a budget likely to include significant increases in defense spending that will help her department improve readiness, increase the number of air squadrons and build air power cooperation with allies.

The Air Force Academy graduate cited the latest National Defense Strategy that recognizes "a new era of great power competition" with Russia and China that requires rebuilding after defense cuts made following the collapse of the Soviet Union. She noted that among the Air Force expansion plans is the addition of 74 new squadrons to the 312 existing ones, including seven fighter, 14 tanker and 22 intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance squadrons.

Wilson said a shortage of maintenance personnel will be overcome with newly hired personnel by December and that new acquisition procedures will bring new weapons on line more quickly. She noted that one contract innovation was the establishment of a consortium of 180 companies that are now competing for contracts to solve space related problems, 124 of whom have never done business with the Department of Defense.

She conceded that the Air Force faces a challenge in retaining air crews, especially pilots, during a time of high demand in the civilian sector. Efforts include improving career choices and reducing overseas deployments for crews. She said she hopes to have 1,400 pilots trained annually under the 2020 budget, up by 300 from two years ago.

Asked about the need for a separate branch of the service dedicated to space, Wilson said "the president has brought this to the forefront and I think that is a good thing." She noted that the space combat command disbanded in 2002 has been re-established, and that while the U.S. remains dominant in most space arenas, it is being challenged to defend space assets.