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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a hearing on the Department of the Air Force’s posture within the current threat environment. During the hearing, the committee received testimony from the service’s leadership on the challenges they face and what may be needed to better address threats on the horizon.

In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker emphasized the need to ensure long-term readiness and superiority through fighter aircraft such as the F-15E, as well as the necessity of modernizing our nuclear capabilities.

Read Senator Wicker’s hearing opening statement as delivered.

Good morning. I begin with a common refrain: The United States faces its most dangerous threat environment since World War II. However, though many of our national security challenges mirror the 1930s, warfare looks much different today. Technological advances in artificial intelligence, hypersonic strike weapons, sixth-generation aircraft, and space-based weapons are transforming the nature of modern conflict. The Department of the Air Force is on the front lines of these changes.  Today we will hear from three representatives of that service.  We welcome Secretary Troy Meink, General Chance Saltzman, and General David Allvin. I thank all of them for being here and for their continued service to our nation.

The committee understands that the Fiscal Year 2026 President’s Budget is not yet complete, and we are therefore aware that the three witnesses before us do not have the full budget picture. That being said, their testimony is still vital. It will help us consider how to support the mission of the Air Force and the Space Force, which is to be lethal and “ready to fight tonight,” as the slogan goes.

One of our most pressing responsibilities is to ensure the long-term readiness and modernization of the Air Force. In the event of war, we need not only capability but also capacity. If we go to war in 2027, we will fight with the Air Force we have today, which is a mix of fourth-generation fighters, such as the F-15E and F-16, and fifth-generation fighters the F-22 and F-35. We need more fighter aircraft now, and we are working along with our colleagues in the House, Chairman Rogers, to keep the F-15EX line open through our reconciliation bill.

Even as we plan for future systems, we must address the state of today’s fleet. The mission capability rates across many Air Force platforms remain unacceptably low. Some platform fleets are frequently less than 50 percent mission capable – and we’ll have questions about that. The F-35 fleet is available a mere 54 percent of the time. This is not just a maintenance issue.  It is a readiness issue, and it impacts our ability to deter adversaries and respond when necessary. Taxpayers are investing billions of dollars to support these aircraft, and our airmen, and our citizens, deserve higher readiness levels to defend our national interests. I expect our witnesses to provide a frank assessment of what is driving these poor rates and, more importantly, what is being done to reverse the trend.

The Air Force also plays a key role in modernizing our nuclear forces. The service is responsible for two legs of the nuclear triad as well as a majority of the U.S. nuclear command, control, and communications system. These programs must stay on schedule to deliver the essential capabilities we need to deter nuclear threats. We cannot afford to allow these programs to flounder because of a lack of leadership and prioritization. This committee expects accountability among program managers and transparency with Congress to ensure we can modernize effectively, and I think this panel shares that sentiment. I look forward to hearing our witnesses explain how the Air Force manages these risks while preserving strategic stability.

The U.S. Space Force has grown significantly in the last five years. That trend should continue, because our threats are growing as well.  Maintaining space superiority is a no-fail mission. Increased investment in this young service is absolutely vital.

We also must invest in the facilities that support our service members. In the 2025 NDAA, this committee unanimously adopted a provision that requires the services to maintain a minimum four percent plant replacement value for infrastructure. That provision survived conference and was signed into law by the president. It is the law of the land. Let me say this again. This is the law of the land, and senior leaders should set the example to the Force by following the law – a law that was created, I must point out, because the services had long ignored this problem.

We cannot make progress on any of these issues without those who wear the uniform and support the mission every day. Our airmen, guardians, and civilians are our greatest asset. Recruiting and retention continue to be major challenges, and we need to remain focused on supporting service members and their families with the resources, care, and career opportunities they deserve.

I look forward to the hearing, and testimony from each of our witnesses about how they intend to ensure the Department of the Air Force has what it needs to meet today’s challenges, maintain our superiority in air and space, and prepare for the threats we face on the horizon.