Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, recently questioned U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Hon. Frank Kendall, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin, and U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman on the U.S. Air Force’s and U.S Space Force’s respective budget requests for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.

During the hearing, Senator Capito inquired about various aspects including Space Force partnerships and readiness challenges. In response to Capito's question on Space Force collaboration with private sector partners for space domain awareness, Gen. Saltzman emphasized the importance of data collection and stated, “avoiding operational surprise in the space domain is one of our top priorities.” He highlighted the reliance on industry, commercial services, and international partners for data collection and stressed the continuous expansion of this capability.

Senator Capito also mentioned the emerging cooperation between the Space Force and the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Gen. Saltzman acknowledged the collaboration and expressed excitement about the possibilities arising from the radio astronomy capabilities in the region.

On the topic of budget requests and readiness levels, Senator Capito raised concerns about the acceptance of risk in modernization efforts. Secretary Kendall explained that the current aircraft availability stands at around 60%, which he considers a minimally acceptable level. Despite challenges in the supply chain and funding, Kendall stated, “we can meet our commitments around the world” but acknowledged the need to improve long-term sustainability in various accounts.

Overall, the hearing provided insights into the challenges and priorities faced by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force as they navigate budget requests and readiness issues for the upcoming fiscal year.