Overview
- Air Force leaders announced on Sept. 14 that they will establish a Point Defense Weapons System to integrate kinetic interceptors, electronic warfare, jamming and directed energy into a single effort to protect air bases.
- The service also will stand up a dedicated point defense career field that Gen. Ken Wilsbach said will be operational within two years and will draw personnel from multiple existing specialties.
- Two Senior Master Sergeants, Andrew Lewis and Brandon Spears, were named as the first field managers to lead development of the new career track and begin placing teams at high-priority installations.
- Acquisition officials are actively considering a dedicated portfolio acquisition executive for point defense to speed procurement and give authority to move funds and adjust requirements as threats evolve.
- Leaders point to months of Iranian missile and drone strikes and sustained high-alert operations — including thousands of alarm reds, dozens of airfield repairs and hundreds of explosive ordnance removals — as the immediate reason for treating point defense as a permanent, resourced mission.