6 Nov 2026 08:00
Is the Air Force Running Out of Money? - Ep 643
The Air Force is flying, moving, supporting and striking everywhere — but the money still has to come from somewhere. Trent and Peaches break down what happens when current operations consume existing Air Force resources while the service is simultaneously trying to modernize aircraft, rebuild munitions stockpiles and repair bases that spent two decades taking a back seat to GWOT requirements. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, operations dominated the priority list. Now aging HVAC systems, electrical grids, sewage, dorms and military construction are all demanding attention at the same time.
The guys also get into why military construction costs so much, what “taking it out of hide” actually means, and why the next fight cannot be funded by simply stripping money from everything else indefinitely. The Air Force still has to buy aircraft, upgrade capabilities, replenish weapons and maintain installations while supporting missions around the world. Trent argues that if the Air Force continues carrying a disproportionate share of operational requirements without additional resources, something eventually has to give.
Then the conversation turns nuclear. Peaches and Trent dig into small modular reactors and Air Force efforts to experiment with microreactors that could provide resilient power to installations even if civilian infrastructure goes down. They discuss Eielson AFB, potential projects at other installations, the limitations of wind and solar at large scale, and why nuclear power may ultimately be one of the most practical ways to make military bases truly energy-resilient.
LINKS
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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready 01:10 - Trent and Peaches Become GWOT Boomers 02:30 - Desert Wars vs Jungle Warfare 03:55 - The Air Force’s New Resource Problem 05:52 - How GWOT Changed Air Force Spending 07:46 - Twenty Years of Deferred Infrastructure 09:44 - Why Military Construction Costs So Much 11:06 - Operations Are Eating the Budget 12:00 - Dorms, Mold and Aging Air Force Bases 13:25 - HVAC and Electrical Systems Are Getting Crushed 13:48 - Nuclear Power for Air Force Bases? 15:27 - Why Military Bases Need Independent Power 16:49 - Eielson AFB’s Microreactor Project 18:00 - Coal, Nuclear, Solar and Wind 19:58 - Is Nuclear the Cleanest Realistic Option? 21:12 - More Air Force Bases Could Get Microreactors 22:15 - Texas Infrastructure Detour 23:22 - Toll Roads and Paying for Infrastructure 25:02 - The Air Force Is Doing Everything 26:14 - The Ben Affleck Air Force Meme 27:30 - Ones Ready Merch and Partners 28:53 - Ones Ready Wrap-Up
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