WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2022) The US Air Force and Space Force are now both operating using some of the oldest equipment in their history and in the race to equip them in time for any potential conflict with near peer adversaries, time is not on their side, retired Air Force Gen. Douglas Raaberg told the Air Force Association (AFSA) conference on Tuesday.
"Our air and space forces of today are operating some of the oldest equipment in our history," Raaberg, who is now AFA executive vice president, said. "The forces are smaller and inadequately funded to meet the requirements of the national security strategy."
Raaberg warned that the US Air Force and Space Force� as well as defense contractors had to move at a much faster rate to match and, where necessary, catch up with advances being made by other nations in aerospace and related technologies.
"Time is not on our side. ... Accelerating acquisition is key to challenging our strategic competitors," he said.
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Andrew Hunter told the conference he shared General Raaberg's sense of urgency and that the Air Force was looking to deliver critical capabilities for future success by the middle of this decade.
