Overview

• Troy Meink said limited maintenance must be concentrated on platforms that can operate in contested airspace, with reduced spending to sustain systems that cannot.
• Readiness remains strained, with the fiscal 2024 mission-capable rate at 62% and an aging fleet averaging nearly 32 years, highlighted by F-22s at Langley sitting idle for lack of parts.
• Acquisition officials will probe supply-chain pinch points and hold contractors accountable after parts were found to fail far short of expected service life.
• Meink outlined an accelerated modernization slate including the F-47, F-35, F-15EX, B-52 engine and radar upgrades, the B-21, Sentinel and Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
• He emphasized scaling production of advanced munitions and other capabilities to deliver the mass and speed needed for high-intensity conflict.