US looking for 'new creative' ways to fight a war it's already 'won'
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- U.S. military commanders are seeking 'new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran' despite the Trump administration's repeated claims of victory, with the war now in its sixth month following a February 28 surprise attack
- Trump wants a $1.5 trillion defense budget for next year — a 42% increase — even as the military faces widespread procurement failures and the Iran campaign drags on
- B-52 upgrade program faces cost and scheduling challenges, with the Air Force planning $21 billion across 13 modifications to keep the Eisenhower-era bombers flying until 2050, according to a July 31 GAO report
- New Air Force One replacement is delayed, with communications gear being installed on the Boeing planes already 'not viable' beyond 2028 due to cybersecurity and obsolescence issues; first delivery pushed to mid-2028
- Navy's battleship program costs have jumped at least 50%, with the first vessel projected at $23.4 billion and the full fleet of 15 totaling $275 billion, according to an August 5 CBO report
- Zumwalt-class hypersonic missile installation is two years behind schedule; CPS missiles cost roughly $50 million each, and Lockheed's production instructions are reportedly 'too complex for the average worker to follow'
- Mystery drones have been spotted over Diego Garcia, a key U.S. military base in the Indian Ocean, according to The War Zone's August 10 reporting
Why it matters: Taxpayers face a 42% defense budget increase to $1.5 trillion while the Pentagon admits its fighter engines are substandard, its Air Force One communications gear will be obsolete on delivery, and warships cost billions more than projected. The gap between the administration's 'won the war' rhetoric and the military's actual readiness — from production instructions too complex for workers to B-52s needing $21 billion to keep flying — is becoming harder to paper over with more spending.
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