Building the Air Force the U.S. Needs

North Korea is again launching missiles, Iran continues inching towards a nuclear weapons capability, Russia is escalating its aggression in Ukraine, and China is sprinting to field a military capable of invading Taiwan and defeating any effort by Washington to intervene.

Considering these extraordinary threats, what kind of Air Force does the United States have — and what kind of Air Force does it need?

Which aircraft should be retired, and which should be fielded without delay?

The Air Force oversees two legs of the U.S. nuclear deterrent triad. So, with Russia and North Korea rattling their nuclear sabers, what about bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles?

Would the Air Force also have a role in sinking ships in a contingency in the Taiwan Strait?

What does the war in Ukraine tell us about the importance of Air Force capabilities?

To get answers, FDD's Bradley Bowman — filling in for host Cliff May — asks Lieutenant General Richard G. Moore of the U.S. Air Force.

Lieutenant General Richard G. Moore

Lt. Gen. Richard G. Moore is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs at the United States Air Force, where he focuses on building the Air Force of the future to support the National Defense Strategy. 

Bradley Bowman

Bradley Bowman is the Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP).