The department sought to fund 90% of its maintenance needs, but the GAO found that the services continue to request funding for only about 80% of their needs, according to the report released Friday. The funding shortfall led to an estimated $285 billion of maintenance backlogs in fiscal 2025.

“DOD has not fully determined the risks to its mission and to the quality of life of its personnel as a result of not meeting its funding goal,” the report reads. “Fully determining and communicating these risks would provide better information to DOD and Congress to weigh budget priorities.”

GAO authors examined Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force military installations across the U.S. and its territories for this report.

The report found that the department does not request the full amount of maintenance funding as recommended by its Facilities Sustainment Model, which estimates the average annual sustainment funding requirement for facilities based on their size, location and other factors.

This contributed to the increased backlog of deferred maintenance needs. Even though in 2014 an Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics memorandum was issued to establish a goal of funding regular maintenance at 90% or higher of the amount estimated by the Facilities Sustainment Model, the GAO continues to find that the services are not meeting that goal.

Instead, the Army, Navy and Air Force requested about 80% for fiscal years 2017 through 2020. The Marine Corps requested funding decreased from 80% to 40% over the past five fiscal years, opting to fund more facility restoration and modernization projects in exchange for reduced sustainment funding, the report says.

Maintenance and improvement projects’ backlogs can contribute to service members’ quality of life and negatively affect installations’ missions.

“By requesting less funding for installation maintenance and improvement projects than its models and experts recommend, DOD has chosen to accept some degree of risk that mission or quality of life will be negatively affected,” the report says.

In past reports, the GAO has found that barracks maintenance were “chronically neglected” and resulted in poor conditions of enlisted service members that affected their quality of life. Thousands of service members lived in substandard barracks, with some hosting potentially serious health and safety risks, a 2023 report found.

Of the 31 recommendations issued in 2023, the department implemented 19 as of April 2026. But many remain unaddressed, such as establishing an oversight structure for barracks, the report says.

The GAO found that challenges in hiring and retaining key maintenance workers are seen in remote and isolated locations and other obstacles include private sector employment competition as well as federal hiring, pay and work eligibility practices.

Military departments have not fully identified the extent of maintenance workforce shortages or created plans to address the hurdles.

The GAO also found that installations rely on maintenance work order data systems to respond to needs, but the tracking is limited and the data is generally unreliable for determining the effectiveness of maintenance performed across the services.

In the report, the GAO made 13 recommendations, including strengthening departmental oversight, determining risks associated with funding maintenance below levels proposed and improving maintenance data reliability.

The department fully or partially concurred with 12 recommendations and did not concur with one.

New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority was aware the flight from Christchurch pivoted following the agency’s issue of a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, to the aircraft, a CAA spokesperson told Military Times.

The Russian Air Traffic Management Corporation notified the CAA of the space activity, the spokesperson said, causing the authority to issue the NOTAM to the U.S. Air Force flight.

In a follow-up statement, the spokesperson said that the CAA was made aware by the Russian air traffic agency of a planned missile launch and associated potential hazard to international airspace within New Zealand’s Oceanic Flight Information Region.

“As a result, we put in place a danger area and issued a NOTAM to alert aircraft operators to the potential hazard,” the spokesperson said. “This does not prevent aircraft from flying through the area, operators make their decisions based on the information available.”

NOTAMs alert aircraft operators of potential hazards to allow them to make operational decisions around flight planning.

“Much of our Oceanic FIR is over international waters, where we have limited control over activities,” the spokesperson said, referring to the roughly 30 million square kilometers of international waters that spans across the South Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea.

“It is normal practice for Airspace Authorities and Air Traffic Service Providers, provided with such hazard notifications to issue NOTAMs,” the spokesperson continued.

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 shows a U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III took off from Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand, on Tuesday at 9 a.m. local time, with the call sign ICE28.

The site shows the aircraft landed around 11:30 a.m. back at Christchurch.

The flight was a routine resupply mission scheduled for this time of year, a U.S. Pacific Air Forces spokesperson told Military Times.

“Christchurch is the gateway to Antarctica,” the PACAF spokesperson said. “Both the United States Air Force and New Zealand Defense Force conduct operations and logistical support out of Christchurch in support of our Antarctic science programs.”

The turnaround happened during the U.S. Air Force’s annual Winter Fly-in period, or WinFly, which usually occurs toward the end of August and delivers teams, equipment and cargo to McMurdo Station and Scott Base, both in Antarctica, ahead of its research season.

The PACAF spokesperson declined to comment on whether this flight was in direct support of the WinFly, but a 2012 Air Force release details that a C-17 delivered over 300 passengers and 230,000 pounds of cargo that year to Antarctica.

“Using Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand as the base of operations, the mission of WinFly is to deliver advance teams and cargo to the remote research center in preparation for the main season of Operation Deep Freeze,” the release reads.

Operation Deep Freeze provides support to the U.S. Antarctic Program, managed by the National Science Foundation, that allows for continuous scientific research in the region.

Boeing’s C-17 Globemaster III is a cargo aircraft capable of fast delivery of troops and loads to main operating bases or forward bases in deployment areas. The aircraft can also complete tactical airlift and airdrop missions as well as aeromedical evacuations.

Qatar’s government requested to buy up to four KC-46As, eight PW4062 turbofan engines, 10 AN/ALR-69A radar warning receivers, 15 Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies for Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure systems and 8 LAIRCM system processor replacements, according to a Thursday release.

The proposed sale also includes “non-major defense equipment,” such as precision navigation, transportation and airlift support, personnel training and training equipment and other related logistical and program support items, per the statement.

“The proposed sale will increase Qatar’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its defense capabilities and interoperability with U.S. and allied forces and reinforcing Qatar’s strategic role in regional security,” the release reads.

The potential sale is meant to support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives through assisting in Qatar’s security. The U.S. government statement describes the country as a “strategic regional partner” that continues to be an “important force” for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

Principal contractors for the envisioned deal include Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, RTX Corporation and Northrop Grumman Corporation.

The proposed sale’s implementation will not require any additional U.S. government or contractor representatives to Qatar, the announcement says.

“At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale,” the statement says. “Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.”

The KC-46A provides aerial refueling support to the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and partner nations and has greater refueling, cargo and aeromedical evacuation capabilities than the aging KC-135s.

The announcement comes as questions persist surrounding the security features of a Qatari-donated Air Force One aircraft that has been modified for U.S. presidential use. President Donald Trump began using the new jet in July and has since announced it will be “maxed out” for upgrades.

USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, suffered an “engineering casualty” with its generators, causing a power outage for four days while conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific, 7th Fleet spokesperson Cmdr. Matthew Comer told Military Times.

Comer declined to comment about where exactly the incident occurred, but multiple news outlets reported it happened in the South China Sea.

The ship received support from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, which included meals from Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls.

The engineering incident occurred July 24, forcing the destroyer to be towed by contracted tugboats into Subic Bay, Philippines, for repairs on July 28. The ship was met upon arrival by subject-matter experts from Ship Repair Facility-Japan Regional Maintenance Center, Comer said.

“There were no injuries to the crew, who demonstrated resilience, grit, professionalism, and unwavering steadiness in their response,” Comer said.

The day after arriving in the Philippines, the ship’s crew received food and contracted lodging off board. Benfold’s power was restored July 30, and all necessary repairs were completed prior to the ship berth shifting for fuel over a week later on Aug. 7.

All engineering, combat systems and crew support systems were functioning normally by the time the ship left Subic Bay on Aug. 8.

“The crew was directly supported by ships in the strike group while at sea and every effort was made to ensure the crew was supported on arrival in Subic Bay, Philippines,” Comer said.

The engineering mishap is under investigation, Comer said.

The incident follows reports of poor morale and mental health conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for nine months, part of which has been in support of U.S. military operations against Iran.

Recently, U.S. Central Command leader Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier after Military Times learned that at least two sailors attempted to go overboard during the ship’s extended deployment.

Cooper said that service at sea can be challenging but asserted that the Lincoln has the lowest number of mental health cases among the Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers.

U.S. lawmakers have begun pressing the service for information on the Lincoln’s conditions and to elaborate on the ship’s lengthened deployment schedule, asking for reports on the ship’s problems with basic supplies, water, plumbing, mental health, deck safety and mail.

But Pentagon and White House leaders have continued to dismiss concerns, with President Donald Trump saying the deployment’s length is “not nearly long enough.”

Airmen from the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, assigned to the 355th Wing but located at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, alongside the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron, deployed two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters to rescue the Navy personnel near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, according to a Monday release.

The “aircraft mishap” occurred on Aug. 10, per the release. The 88th received initial notification regarding the Navy MH-60S Seahawk hard landing in mountainous terrain during a high-altitude training flight around 11:30 a.m.

The 88th then immediately initiated a recall and joined with the 355th to generate the aircraft while coordinating with the “mishap unit.” The release did not specify which Navy unit was involved.

“When production gave us the word for a real-world mission, I gathered the Airmen I had on the line and started directing traffic,” Air Force Staff Sgt. Lucas Seney, 355th AMXS aerospace propulsion craftsman, said in the release. “The crew worked well together, and I was proud to see just how efficiently everyone was able to get the job done.”

To allow for a swift departure, the 355th had to fix a circuit breaker issue since no spare parts were available, providing the aircrew with a “workaround” to make the system operational, the statement reads.

The 355th was able to generate the two HH-60Ws within 30 minutes, and the aircrews departed Nellis at 1 p.m. Then the crew established two-way radio contact and visually identified the Navy personnel by 3 p.m.

Capt. John Howe, an 88th combat rescue officer, led the pararescue team that deployed to the landing zone, per the release. The team assessed the personnel, deemed that no one was injured and determined that the helicopters should reposition to a closer landing area to reduce the physical exertion required of the sailors.

“The preparation is what makes the execution smooth,” Howe said in the statement. “It’s the combination of preestablished operating procedures, keeping equipment staged and ready for use, and hasty mission planning prior to departure, that makes this process effective, and expeditious.”

All five sailors were extracted successfully by 3:50 p.m., and they were transferred to their unit’s ramp at NAWS China Lake.

Col. Christopher George was relieved of his duties as commander of the 150th Special Operations Wing, located at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Friday. Separately, Col. Jeffry Heggemeier, the wing’s deputy commander, was “reassigned” to Headquarters, New Mexico, Air National Guard.

“[Heggemeier’s] reassignment is a personnel assignment action and is not a relief from duty or command,” New Mexico National Guard spokesman Hank Minitrez told Military Times on Monday.

In place of George, Col. Angela Black will temporarily command the 150th SOW, Minitrez said. Lt. Col. Lonnie Mazuranich has been appointed temporarily to serve as the deputy commander in place of Heggemeier.

While Mazuranich now serves as deputy commander, he will also continue to work as commander of the 150th Operations Group.

George’s reassignment is a “personnel matter,” causing the guard to not provide any additional details regarding the circumstances of the transfer, Minitrez said.

“These personnel changes do not affect the 150th Special Operations Wing’s mission or operational readiness,” Minitrez said. “The New Mexico National Guard remains focused on supporting its Airmen and maintaining the readiness necessary to meet state and federal mission requirements.”

Prior to serving as commander of the 150th Special Operations Wing, George was the commander of the 150th Maintenance Group. He was also an enlisted crew chief on the F-16 C/D models for over 15 years and was commissioned as a security forces officer for 10 years, among other roles.

Previously, Heggemeier was the director of staff, Joint Force Headquarters, New Mexico Air National Guard. He also served for four years on active duty, working on multiple directed energy development efforts. He transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 2006 and worked as a civilian employee at the Air Force Research Lab until 2022. He transferred to the New Mexico Air National Guard in 2014.

The 150th Special Operations Wing is tasked with training Special Operations and Combat Search and Rescue teams through Total Force Integration alongside the 58th Special Operations Wing.

The wing, which also houses the 250th Intelligence Squadron, provides training and resources for more than 900 personnel in support of state and federal operations.

Kendall, who served as secretary from 2021 to 2025 under the Biden administration, announced last week on CNN that he will be suing the White House after the Pentagon alleged he shared classified information regarding Air Force One capabilities with a media outlet.

The former secretary said that Mark Zaid, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney who specializes in security clearance and whistleblower cases, would represent him.

Zaid previously took on the Trump administration after his own security clearance was revoked in March 2025, calling it “retribution against an attorney for representing clients adverse to the government.” His access was fully restored in January.

Zaid told Military Times that he and his law firm are preparing forthcoming litigation that will be part of a larger lawsuit involving a number of individuals whose security clearances were allegedly unlawfully revoked without due process since January 2025, the beginning of Trump’s second term.

Since January 2025, the Trump administration has revoked a slew of security clearances from high-profile political figures, former cabinet officials and intelligence personnel. In March 2025, the White House announced the revocation of clearances from nearly 20 people, including former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Then, in August 2025, the then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released the names on social media of 37 more individuals whose clearances would be revoked.

Zaid did not specify which individuals would be joining Kendall in the upcoming litigation.

In a live interview with CNN, Kendall claimed that the allegation was baseless since he did not reveal any classified information and that the revocation lacked due process. He argued that his vocal criticism of the Trump administration could explain why the Pentagon revoked his clearance.

“Under the circumstances, there is a legitimate question as to whether this was a malicious and retaliatory decision,” Zaid told Military Times when asked if the revocation could be the result of political retribution.

Kendall has been an open critic of the Trump administration since he left his post in January 2025, writing in a July 2025 opinion piece published in the New York Times that Trump uses fear as a way to suppress dissent in groups such as the military, civil service and law communities in particular.

“Fear is the universal tool of authoritarians, and it is a clear sign that our democracy is in danger that so many Americans now have reason to fear their government,” he opined. “Fear has come to our country, and unlike Sandburg’s fog, it isn’t moving on any time soon.”

More recently, Kendall was quoted in the Times and Wall Street Journal expressing concern over the quick timeline in which the Qatari-donated jet was modified for presidential use, prompting the Pentagon to revoke his clearance.

Kendall did not return multiple requests for comment from Military Times.

Zaid said that the Pentagon did not specify which classified information about Air Force One capabilities it believes Kendall revealed, adding that the only contact thus far with the Department of Defense was the social media post announcing the removal of Kendall’s clearance.

Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, posted Aug. 7 that Kendall’s access to classified information and his ability to hold any “sensitive” position were void effective immediately.

“This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet,” Parnell said in the post.

“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” he continued. “Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.”

The Pentagon denied a request to comment from Military Times, instead referring the publication back to Parnell’s social media post.

Zaid said that Kendall’s clearance revocation differs from the standard procedure. Usually, a revocation of a defense contractor’s security clearance requires the issuance of a Statement of Reasons, which is a formal written notice from the government outlining why it plans to revoke the clearance and allows the party to respond and submit evidence in their defense.

Since leaving his role as secretary, Kendall now serves as a national director on the Air & Space Forces Association board and as a nonresident senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

Task Force Falcon Strike will utilize one-way attack drones composed of unmanned systems from above, on and below the sea, managed by U.S. military support staff and regional partners, according to a Thursday release.

The move to launch this unit follows CENTCOM’s establishment of Task Force Scorpion Strike in December 2025, a Middle East-based task force equipped with one-way attack drones as the military strived to integrate drone technology across the services.

“Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike’s success given the tremendous innovation happening among our regional allies and partners,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in the release. “Integrating and deploying our new capabilities together will help us rapidly realize the new possibilities that are on the horizon.”

Scorpion Strike was the first to launch an aerial attack drone from a U.S. Navy warship last December, the month of its announcement. The unit also deployed one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury and during strikes on Iranian port facilities in July with unmanned attack vessels at sea, the statement highlights.

CENTCOM began consulting with and officially inviting regional partners to join Falcon Strike, aiming to expand attack-drone capabilities across the Middle East into a “unified multi-domain, multinational deterrent.”

“The United States military has a lot of strong partnerships and friends in the region,” Cooper said. “We are collectively stronger when we integrate and deploy new capabilities together.”

The release did not specify which regional partners CENTCOM is working with on the unit.

Personnel from the U.S. Special Operations Command Central, located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, will lead Falcon Strike’s staff of U.S. and regional representatives after it launched Scorpion Strike, the release states.

The announcement comes as the U.S. continues its war with Iran, which has depleted the U.S. munitions stockpile and caused military leaders to weigh the possibility of developing cheaper anti-drone technology at a faster pace.

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, will receive 26 HH-60Ws, an advanced combat search and rescue helicopter, to replace their 26 UH-1N medium utility helicopters, according to a Wednesday release.

As part of the transition to the HH-60W “Whiskey,” the base will gain 60 active-duty manpower positions, per the statement.

JBA will stand up the 5th Helicopter Squadron on Aug. 27 as the first unit on base to receive the new helicopters. The 1st Helicopter Squadron will continue to fly the Hueys until it converts to the Whiskey mission. The release did not specify when that switch would occur.

Both squadrons are tasked with supporting contingency response operations for the federal government, defense support of civil authorities and senior leadership transportation, according to the announcement.

The announcement comes a month after a UH-1N Huey from JBA’s 1st Helicopter Squadron made an emergency landing in Washington, D.C., after the crew reported “vibrating mechanical sounds” while in flight.

“The current UH-1N fleet is 49 to 59 years old and lacks the speed, range, and lift capacity required to provide cost-effective, modern mission support,” the release states.

“The HH-60W delivers significant increases in payload capacity, maximum airspeed, and mission range to ensure the aircraft can meet tasked mission requirements,” the statement continues.

Operational capability of the HH-60Ws is slated for 2030, the release says.

Andrews, located in Prince George’s County, is home to the presidential Air Force One and the 89th Airlift Wing, which provides airlift and communications for the president, vice president, cabinet members and senior leaders.