The US Air Force is facing some tough decisions with its 2025 budget. The Department of Defense is only asking for a small increase in spending, which means the Air Force can’t buy everything it wants.
Defense Secretary Austin says the budget is “tough but responsible.” This means they’re putting more money towards things they really need right now, like pay raises and bonuses for Air Force personnel. They’re also investing in the latest, most advanced fighter jets (like 5th and 6th generation aircraft).
An air force can’t function without great people to fly and maintain the planes. The budget recognizes this by giving Air Force members a 4.5% pay raise and offering bonuses to keep highly skilled people on board. This is similar to what the tiny Royal New Zealand Air Force is facing – they can’t buy all new planes if they don’t have enough qualified people to fly them!
The Air Force leaders say this 2025 budget won’t hurt their ability to defend the country. However, they also say they’ll need more money in the future to keep buying new technology and staying ahead of potential threats.
The Air Force Secretary says that even though the budget is tight, they can still make progress on modernizing their equipment. They’ll still be able to focus on their core missions, like air superiority and global mobility.
So, the Air Force is making some tough choices with its 2025 budget. They’re focusing on taking care of their people and getting the most advanced equipment they can afford.
The Air Force budget is just a part of the overall US military budget request of $849.8 billion for FY 2025. A significant portion of this money goes towards research, development, and buying new equipment. While the US military budget is massive, it’s important to note that other countries are also spending heavily on their militaries. Estimates suggest the global military spending in 2023 was a whopping $2.443 trillion!
