Chinese military analysts, speaking on state television, have sharply critiqued a recent US strategic document. They focused on the report "The Department of the Air Force In 2050," released in January 2025. It was authored by former US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall before his departure.
Military Analyst Du Wenlong described Kendall's assessment as being "full of contradictions." He highlighted the disconnect between the vision to "reshape the battlefield" and current US capabilities.
Du stated achieving such goals is "impossible without technological follow-up, equipment follow-up, and various comprehensive support measures." He emphasized a perceived lack of sufficient innovation and necessary "new technological paths."
Military commentator Wei Dongxu asserted the report reveals "hostility towards other countries between the lines." He noted Kendall describes Russia as a "long-term rival," likely to "highlight the important role of the US Air Force." Wei also saw "a lot of anxiety and self-aggrandizement" within the document.
Wei pointed to US struggles with funding and developing new weapons systems. He suggested hyping platforms like the Sentinel missile aimed to secure "more military funding." Despite these efforts, Wei concluded, "American air hegemony... is gradually weakening and disintegrating... I believe this trend will not change."
In his final thinktank engagement with Center for Strategic & International Studies, Kendall discussed the report which outlined future challenges and ambitious goals for US air and space forces.
FULL TRANSCRIPT (Original + Translated)
Source: https://tv.cctv.com/2025/04/28/VIDEkJEEXRlf2kbPzznrvqFF250428.shtml
[兵器面面观]美国空军部前部长弗兰克·肯德尔离任前发表重要报告
[Weapons Aspects] Former U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall Issues Important Report Before Leaving Office
2025年1月13日，美国空军部前部长弗兰克肯德尔在一份题为2050年空军部的正式报告中，提出了美国空军和太空部队在未来25年里可能面临的安全挑战以及应对措施。
On January 13, 2025, former U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, in an official report titled "The Department of the Air Force in 2050," presented the potential security challenges and corresponding measures the U.S. Air Force and Space Force might face in the next 25 years.
报告表示到2050年美国空军所面临的战争形态将发生重大变革。为了应对这些变化，报告鼓吹大力扩张美国空天部队，预计到2050年美太空部队的人员规模将从当前的约1万人增加数倍。2050年空军部还突出强调制空权和空基核威慑力量的重要性，描绘了美国空军未来的发展方向。
The report stated that the form of warfare faced by the U.S. Air Force will undergo significant changes by 2050. To cope with these changes, the report advocates for a major expansion of U.S. air and space forces, predicting that the personnel size of the U.S. Space Force will multiply several times from the current approximately 10,000 by 2050. "The Air Force Department in 2050" also emphasized the importance of air superiority and air-based nuclear deterrence, outlining the future direction of the U.S. Air Force.
除了对未来战争形态的预测，该报告还提出了美国空军与太空部队所面临的困境，预算受限，不愿淘汰过时的平台，不愿接受新技术，并充分利用它们。弗兰克肯德尔说，所有这些都会对我们实现目标的能力产生负面影响。
In addition to predictions about future warfare, the report also highlighted dilemmas faced by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force: limited budgets, reluctance to retire obsolete platforms, and unwillingness to embrace and fully leverage new technologies. Frank Kendall stated, "All of these will negatively impact our ability to achieve objectives."
《兵器面面观》主持人周瑜：通过刚才的短片，我们了解到2050年空军部这份报告一方面揭示了霸权思维下美国空军和太空部队的野心，另外一方面也提出了他们在现阶段自认为所面临的困境。那么两位你们是如何看待和解读这份报告的？
"Weapons Aspects" Host Zhou Yu: From the short video clip just now, we understand that this "Air Force Department in 2050" report, on one hand, reveals the ambitions of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force under hegemonic thinking, and on the other hand, also points out the difficulties they perceive themselves facing at the current stage. So, how do you two view and interpret this report?
军事专家杜文龙：肯德尔这份离职报告充满了矛盾，我特别关注他所谓的重塑战场格局，跟目前技术创新发展不够这种矛盾。如果重新塑造格局需要概念，需要装备、需要技术，更需要想象，所以它描绘了今后太空战是什么样，然后空基作战是什么样，但是在在争夺所谓绝对霸权的这种期望之下，明显的又出现能力不足，而且新的技术路径开发也明显缺乏，所以如果真的去重塑战场格局，强调整个太空和天空在未来作战过程中的绝对主导作用，但如果没有技术跟进，没有装备跟进，没有各种综合措施保障，不可能做到。
Military Expert Du Wenlong: Kendall's departure report is full of contradictions. I particularly focus on the contradiction between his so-called "reshaping the battlefield pattern" and the current insufficient technological innovation and development. If reshaping the pattern requires concepts, equipment, technology, and even more imagination—so it depicts what future space warfare and air-based operations will look like—but under the expectation of competing for so-called absolute hegemony, there is clearly insufficient capability, and the development of new technological paths is also clearly lacking. Therefore, if one truly wants to reshape the battlefield pattern, emphasizing the absolute dominance of space and the sky in future combat operations, it is impossible without technological follow-up, equipment follow-up, and various comprehensive support measures.
军事评论员魏东旭：美国空军是戴着有色眼镜看待整个世界，因此肯德尔他所公布的2050年的空军部这份报告当中，字里行间流露出了很多针对其他国家的这种敌意。首先在未来25年，那么肯德尔把俄罗斯描述为美国空军的长期对手，那么借此要针对美国政府进行恐吓，那么要彰显美国空军的重要作用。与此同时在这份报告当中也有很多的焦虑，也有很多的自我吹嘘。比如说在这种新式武器装备的研发方面，美国空军显然是面临阻力，也面临资金短缺的问题。那么在吹嘘的这方面，肯德尔拼命的强调哨兵新一代洲际弹道导弹它的重要作用，而且还把b21“突袭者”隐身轰炸机吹嘘成了这种全能型的装备，那么是借此希望向美国政府、美国国会要更多的军费去支持美国空军，那么构建起全新的作战体系。那么在焦虑和这种吹嘘的这样的一些内容当中，我们也注意到现在美国的空中霸权体系是在逐步的弱化，在逐步的瓦解，无论肯德尔能为美国空军争取到多少资源，我相信这个趋势是不会变的。
Military Commentator Wei Dongxu: The U.S. Air Force views the entire world through colored glasses. Therefore, in this "Air Force Department in 2050" report published by Kendall, a lot of hostility towards other countries is revealed between the lines. Firstly, for the next 25 years, Kendall describes Russia as a long-term rival for the U.S. Air Force, using this to intimidate the U.S. government and highlight the important role of the U.S. Air Force. At the same time, there is a lot of anxiety and self-aggrandizement in this report. For example, in the research and development of new types of weapons and equipment, the U.S. Air Force is clearly facing resistance and funding shortages. In terms of boasting, Kendall desperately emphasizes the important role of the Sentinel new-generation intercontinental ballistic missile, and also hypes the B-21 "Raider" stealth bomber as this kind of all-powerful equipment. This is done in the hope of asking the U.S. government and U.S. Congress for more military funding to support the U.S. Air Force in building a completely new combat system. Amidst such content of anxiety and boasting, we also notice that the U.S. air hegemony system is currently gradually weakening and disintegrating. No matter how many resources Kendall can secure for the U.S. Air Force, I believe this trend will not change.
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