Air Force Chief of Staff Speaks at U.S. Naval War College

NEWPORT, R.I. – Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Air Force Chief of Staff, spoke at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport on May 6, 2026.

Wilsbach, a 1998 graduate of the college’s Naval Command and Staff College, addressed approximately 500 students, faculty and staff at the institution. The general discussed his three priorities of readiness, modernization and taking care of Airmen and their families.

“In the current strategic environment, how quickly we can adapt, integrate across domains, and generate effects sets us apart from our adversaries, and those relationships start in places like the Naval War College,” he told those in attendance. “One of the most critical abilities we have is for our services to operate jointly to generate overwhelming combat power and you’re seeing that play out today.”

Wilsbach talked about the evolution of advanced platforms, like the B-21 stealth bomber and the sixth-generation F-47 fighter jet under development, as well as autonomous and semi-autonomous systems, like Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

“When you think about the way we do 21st-century warfare, we stack effects,” he said, listing the employment of cyber, space and electronic warfare effects, in addition to traditional weapons systems from sea, air and land. “It all has to be synchronized.”

The general also discussed the changing face of modern conflict, from the importance of hardening installations and platforms against newer enemy technology, such as small unmanned systems and leveraging AI.

As Air Force Chief of Staff, Wilsbach is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the senior uniformed officer in the service branch, responsible for organizing, training and equipping approximately 665,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the U.S. Air Force in the United States and overseas.

“It was truly an honor to welcome General Wilsbach back to the U.S. Naval War College,” said Rear Adm. Darryl Walker, president of the war college. “It was eye-opening for our students, faculty and staff to learn from an experienced warfighter at the highest levels of our military.”

“General Wilsbach brings an operational and strategic-level view of the joint force, and his perspective is one the military leaders enrolled here need to understand as they graduate and ascend the ranks as senior decision-makers for years to come,” he continued. “We are grateful for General Wilsbach’s time and commitment, and the opportunity to engage directly with him at the apex of the academic year here at the U.S. Naval War College.”

Wilsbach previously served as the commander of Air Combat Command and commander of Pacific Air Forces, the air component commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. He also served as the deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea, as well as director of operations for U.S. Central Command and tri-hatted commander of Alaskan Region, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD); Alaskan Command, U.S. Northern Command and 11th Air Force, U.S. Pacific Air Forces.

He is a command pilot with more than 6,200 flight hours in multiple aircraft, primarily in the F-15C, F-16C and F-22A fighter jets – as well as MC-12 intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft – and has flown 71 combat missions in operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom over Iraq and Afghanistan.

Established in 1884, the Naval War College is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. The college delivers excellence in education, research and outreach, informing today’s decision-makers, educating tomorrow’s leaders and engaging partners and allies on all matters of naval power in order to preserve the peace, respond in crisis and win decisively in war.