The Air Force’s military deputy for acquisition said the service will purchase stealth aircraft and systems as part of plans to focus on Pacific regional missions, Defense News reports.
Lt. Gen. Charles “CR†Davis said the Air Force must get ready to fight in a contested environment again and will tailor its acquisition strategy to the new need for stealth, the report said.
According to Marcus Weisberger’s article, the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq saw aircraft become easily detected on radar and vulnerable to surface-to-air missile attacks.
Davis told Weisgerber the Air Force’s 2014 budget and Program Objective Memorandum, an internal six-year spending plan, will focus on acquiring anti-access systems such as stealth bombers, data links and secure communications for intelligence and other systems.
One such stealthy aircraft includes the Long-Range Strike Bomber, expected to enter service in the mid-2020s and cost around $550 million per plane, according to the report.
The Defense Department is shifting its focus toward the Pacific region with plans to increase spending on cybersecurity and space capabilities, as well as to reduce the standing forces.
