{"id":15464,"date":"2018-09-20T16:08:21","date_gmt":"2018-09-20T16:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/20\/numbers-game-how-the-air-force-is-following-the-army-and-navys-bad-example\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:31:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:31:38","slug":"numbers-game-how-the-air-force-is-following-the-army-and-navys-bad-example","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/opinion\/2018\/09\/20\/numbers-game-how-the-air-force-is-following-the-army-and-navys-bad-example\/","title":{"rendered":"Numbers game: How the Air Force is following the Army and Navy\u2019s bad example"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson talks the service’s plan to expand with air warfare reporter Valerie Insinna.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

On Sept. 17, Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson stole a page from the Army and the Navy, announcing that the Air Force needed to grow its number of operational squadrons by 25 percent<\/a>, from 312 to 386. The Army and the Navy have both mastered the art of using absolute numbers of soldiers and ships, respectively, to describe what the future force should look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strategy is clear: Give Congress and the public a big impressive number, and then argue anything less would put the nation at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who can blame them? Describing force structure needs with one single, specific, easily bumper-sticker-able number has proven effective in defending budgets on the Pentagon\u2019s bureaucratic playground. However, thinking in these over-simplified and strictly numerical terms is actually bad for the safety of the nation \u2014 it allows decision-makers and those who hold them accountable to ignore the equally, if not more important, discussion of the qualitative capability of the joint force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s review the tape. During the course of the contraction in defense spending beginning in fiscal year 2013, Army leadership<\/a> held fast to a requirement for 490,000<\/a> soldiers in the active component, in spite of clear direction in the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance<\/a> to reduce the size of U.S. ground forces. Similarly, the Navy\u2019s 2016 Force Structure Assessment<\/a> established a requirement for 355 ships, which Navy leadership<\/a> invoked to support its budget request, describing it as \u201cthe Navy the nation needs.\u201d Since then, the 355 number has taken on near-mystical importance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t