Mountain Home commander warns U.S. 'no longer has the technological overmatch,' outlines readiness work, base projects

Colonel Michael Faro, wing commander at Mountain Home Air Force Base since July 2023, told the Idaho Senate State Affairs Committee the base is preparing for a more contested strategic environment and that Mountain Home is focused on China as its pacing threat.

"We no longer have the technological overmatch that we have enjoyed in recent decades," Faro said, adding that the changing strategic environment means the homeland "is no longer sanctuary." He told the committee Mountain Home is concentrating on people, preparedness and professionalism and described training, innovation and quality-of-life efforts intended to preserve readiness.

Faro reviewed 2024 accomplishments and ongoing projects. He highlighted an installation excellence award that funded more than $1 million in dorm and quality-of-life improvements, an innovation to create portable solar power cells to support agile combat employment, and the deployment of the 389th Fighter Squadron to the Central Command area of responsibility. He said the base also ran a multi-week exercise to validate a new deployable combat-wing construct—an Air Force concept intended to better posture forces for great-power competition.

The commander described projects with direct local impact: a long-running Snake River water pipeline to diversify the base’s water supply away from a depleting aquifer; a water treatment plant on base whose groundbreaking was noted with Governor Little and that Faro said is "on track to be done by October 26." He also described efforts to secure lower-altitude airspace over the Mountain Home Range Complex so pilots can practice high-speed, low-altitude flight, saying the base recently completed FAA-requested changes and submitted documentation back to the Federal Aviation Administration for final approval.

Faro addressed concerns about F‑15 divestment and engine differences. He said older F‑15 airframes and engines are consolidated for parts or sent to storage "to the boneyard," and noted a provision in recent National Defense Authorization Act language that prevents divestment of certain aircraft through fiscal year 2027. He said senior leaders view Mountain Home as central to combat air forces and did not expect major mission loss at the installation.

Faro closed by describing the base’s "5 and Thrive" quality-of-life priorities—health care, housing, spouse employment, childcare and education—and highlighted a partnership to rebuild Stevenson Elementary School on base at an estimated 20% of typical cost, with local community project funding contributing that share. He said Idaho was designated a Purple Star State and Stevenson was the state’s first Purple Star school, a program intended to help military-connected students cope with frequent moves.

Senators asked clarifying questions during the session. When asked whether ‘‘overmatch’’ referred to equipment or personnel, Faro said multiple factors contribute, including comparative industrial capacity and numbers, while stressing the U.S. advantage in the professionalism of its NCO corps. In response to a question about older F‑15 engines, Faro said older jets are used to consolidate scarce parts and some are sent to storage.

After the unclassified briefing, the committee moved into an executive session at the military’s request.