UPDATED 8/20/25 at 8:07 pm ET to reflect that though Wilsbach stepped down from Air Combat Command, he has not technically retired, and to note a Washington Post correction.
WASHINGTON — Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach has emerged as a serious contender to be the next Air Force chief of staff, sources told Breaking Defense.
Following Gen. David Allvin’s surprise announcement on Monday that he plans to retire in November, three people familiar with the discussions pointed to Wilsbach as high on the prospective list to succeed Allvin, with two of those sources indicating the former Air Combat Command (ACC) head should be viewed as the front runner. The people requested anonymity to discuss sensitive details.
Like other positions in the Trump administration, the situation may still be fluid and it’s possible that another candidate is ultimately selected. It is also unknown how quickly Trump will move to make a nomination, which must be confirmed by the Senate.
A White House spokesperson referred a request for comment to the Pentagon, which referred Breaking Defense to the Air Force. The Air Force did not respond by press time.
Wilsbach on Aug. 11 stepped down from leading ACC, announcing plans to retire and handing command over to Gen. Adrian Spain. But after publication of this report, a source familiar with the process said that retirements do not typically take effect until the first of the month, meaning Wilsbach has not technically left the service and, should a move be made before his retirement date goes into effect, would not need to be recalled to active duty the way now-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine did.
Wilsbach is a fighter pilot by craft, having flown aircraft like the F-22 Raptor. Prior to helming ACC, he was the commander of Pacific Air Forces.
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Allvin’s retirement announcement on Monday blindsided much of the national security community, and did not include a reason for his highly unusual decision to step aside halfway into his four-year term. The Air Force declined to comment on the move to Breaking Defense. The Washington Post on Monday reported that Allvin was asked to retied from his post and was offered the opportunity to announce his own resignation.
An Air Force Academy graduate and cargo pilot by training, Allvin had recently become an unusually vocal advocate for his service, arguing in an exclusive interview with Breaking Defense that threats from modern adversaries like China demand greater investment in airpower, even at the expense of fellow military branches. As the 23rd Air Force chief of staff, Allvin oversaw the launch of key new programs for the Air Force, including the award of the F-47 stealth fighter contract to Boeing in March.
If selected, Wilsbach would guide the service during a critical window, as fears mount that China could invade Taiwan and invoke a US response. In his own right, Wilsbach has commanded forces amid what he called “completely unprofessional and totally unsafe” intercepts by Chinese pilots.
“What’s disturbing is … their typical response is, ‘This is your fault, because this wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t here,’” Wilsbach told reporters in September 2023, regarding cases where American officials have been able to confront their Chinese counterparts on the intercepts.
“Do it safely, do it professionally and everybody will be okay,” Wilsbach said. “We won’t have a miscalculation. We won’t have a disaster.”