Air Force Mulls New Force Mix To Support Irregular Warfare, Isr

摘要

The Air Force is reexamining its force mix strategy and eying areas in the service's portfolio where more risk can be taken in the coming fiscal years to support its ongoing irregular warfare initiative, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said.rn"There are some things that we know are in high demand and we are going to find a way to provide that capability and ISR is a case in point," Schwartz told defense reporters during a Feb. 17 breakfast in Washington. "This is not just the wave of the future, it is what the [joint] team needs right now and for the foreseeable future."rnIf meeting that requirement, in terms of equipment or personnel, means drastically shifting the air service's current force mix, "we will do that in a measured, dispassionate, analytical way," he added. "We will make a judgment ... on whether we are on the right path."rnOn personnel, the service had anticipated trimming the total force down to 316,000. However, the air chief noted that figure was likely to hit 332,000 or more in the service's fiscal year 2010 budget proposal.