Helping allies with an insurgency problem will get more attention through a beefed-up schoolhouse, Air Force Irregular Warfare requirements director Robert Day told the Daily Report Tuesday. Air Education and Training Command now teaches “building partner capacity”—teaching friendly nations how to set up, organize, and equip an air force—at Ft. Dix, N.J., and turns out about 700 graduates a year. But AETC is looking for a permanent home for the school with the aim of turning out 1,500 graduates a year. The new school will also be able to “expand and contract” depending on the demand for these skills, Day said. Besides the bread and butter of man, train, and equip, the school will involve language and cultural training as well. AETC is looking at USAF bases to house the training center.
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.