On Wednesday, an Air Force two-star general, Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, warned that potential 8% cuts to the service’s budget would be “painful.” Kunkel, who serves as the director for force design, integration, and wargaming, expressed hope that the Air Force might still receive additional funding for its top priorities, aligning with the Trump administration’s focus on lethality and deterrence. He noted the possibility of redirected funding from cost-cutting measures outside the service.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously ordered military services to review their budgets and identify 8% of planned fiscal 2026 spending that could be reallocated from nonessential programs to enhance military effectiveness. The Air Force indicated plans to accelerate the retirement of older and outdated aircraft as a means to meet these objectives.
Kunkel emphasized that the Air Force is currently smaller and older than at any other time in its nearly 80-year history, making it difficult to identify areas for such cuts. He stated, “An 8% cut to the Air Force, it’s gonna be painful,” during a discussion hosted by the Hudson Institute in Washington. However, he clarified that Hegseth intends to redirect funds within the department, implying the military’s overall budget wouldn’t be reduced.
The Air Force’s principal aims include protecting the homeland, projecting power abroad, and ensuring strategic deterrence. Kunkel indicated that the service would evaluate all its programs through the lens of this “8% drill,” reconsidering any that do not contribute to its core priorities.
In response to the evolving nature of potential future conflicts, Kunkel mentioned the importance of adapting the Air Force’s design beyond merely updating existing fighters and bombers. He stressed the need for fine-tuning capabilities to counter national threats effectively and ensure the protection of essential ground-based systems for launching aircraft and weapons.
The development of a sixth-generation fighter, referred to as Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), is currently on hold as the service reassesses its costs. Kunkel asserted that simulations revealed a more favorable outcome for conflicts when NGAD is included in the Air Force fleet. However, the viability of NGAD and its supporting systems, such as drone wingmen, is contingent upon the investment in survivable bases and refueling tankers capable of resisting enemy attacks.
Kunkel warned that should the government decide not to pursue NGAD, operational risks would increase, potentially hindering the achievement of combat objectives. He concluded that “NGAD remains an important part of our force design,” fundamentally altering the character of military engagement for the Joint Force in a positive manner.
