The U.S. Air Force is in trouble. We knew this even before the service’s senior leaders were fired this summer in an unprecedented move. But the men tapped to replace sacked Chief of Staff General Michael Moseley and Secretary Michael Wynne have quickly identified, and promised to fix, most of the service’s major problems. General Norton Schwartz and Acting Secretary Michael Donley have, for the first time in years, given us reason to be hopeful for the future of U.S. air power.

Among their priorities, according to statements made at the recent Air Force Association conference:

* Strip the “gold plating” from new systems in order to curtail cost growth

* “Get back to basics” in running contests for new aircraft purchases

* Double the number of drone operators to 1,100 and elevate the job to a formal, and permanent, profession

* Emphasize counter-insurgency warfare with a new set of doctrines

* Renew focus on nuclear skills and safety and return nuke forces to a dedicated command

* Buy more C-17 airlifters and new gunships

* Back down from the previous regime’s requirement for 381 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters

* Keep one fighter assembly line and one airlifter assembly line “hot” at all times, in case there’s a need for emergency buys

* Rein in retired generals and encourage them to remain neutral in acquisitions competitions

Good ideas, all. Now, can Schwartz and Donley deliver on their promises?

(Photo: BW Jones)