Meink offers blueprint for modernizing Air, Space Forces 'affordably'

… AI, he said, &ldquo;competes with some of the world&#39;s top programmers, cyber operators and hackers. And these technologies are revolutionizing the battlefield. They allow countries that would not have had the resources in the past to quickly adapt and scale their combat capabilities.&rdquo;<br /> <br /> As a result, &ldquo;we must increase our combat power and innovate faster than anyone else, affordably. We need cost-effective combat power,&rdquo; Meink said.<br /> <br /> Meink also acknowledged for the first time that Space Force has weapons in space. &ldquo;We are increasing readiness against existing threats, and the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,&rdquo; he said.<br /> <br /> Additionally, Meink said that advances by adversaries and the experience in Iran has triggered new focus on Point Defense &mdash; the term the department gives to how its bases, airfields and operations are defended from airborne threats. Meink emphasized new training and focus to ensure that this critical function is unified and seamless and that dangerous gaps in an age of drones and AI are eliminated.<br /> …