As the Air Force “aggressively” pursues greater energy security, it will focus on building resiliency into the full range of its mission activities, said Kevin Geiss, USAF’s deputy assistant secretary for energy, Wednesday. The service also seeks to reduce its reliance on outside energy sources, assure its energy supply is both affordable and available, and instill a culture of energy awareness among airmen, he said in his Air Force Association-Air Force Breakfast Program address in Arlington, Va. Geiss said the Air Force needs to ensure it’s able to “bounce back quickly” if its energy supply is ever compromised. USAF has 85 renewable energy projects on 43 different installations, he said. These projects will not only help reduce the risk of relying solely on traditional energy supplies, but also can save the service significant amounts of money in the coming years, he said. The Air Force intends to expand its renewable energy portfolio over the next few years, noted Geiss.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.