It’s time to fully fund the Air Force’s collaborative combat aircraft

It’s time to fully fund the Air Force’s collaborative combat aircraft

The defense budget is the place to stop the decline in the Air Force's size and capabilities and begin its rebuilding, the authors of this op-ed argue.

It’s Time To Fully Fund The Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft - Data Intelligence

As Defense Department leaders build their fiscal 2026 budget request, they must prioritize Air Force modernization. Three decades’ worth of chronic underfunding, paired with high combat demand, have worn the service’s aircraft so hard that the capacity and capability of the Air Force have declined to dangerous levels. It is well past time for a reset. Top leaders will only be able to successfully deter and, if necessary, defeat adversaries if th…