As the US Air Force fleet keeps shrinking, can it still win wars?
By Stephen Losey
Apr 23, 05:45 AM
In February 2017, then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein issued a warning.
Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Goldfein rattled off all the missions the Air Force must undertake: defending the U.S. against attack, operating two legs of the nation’s nuclear triad, projecting air power around the globe and, at the time, defeating the militant group known as the Islamic State.
“Every one of those missions is a growth area,” Goldfein said. “And while these missions have been growing, our Air Force has been getting smaller. ... We’re actually the smallest Air Force we’ve ever been.”
At the time, the service had about 5,500 aircraft in its inventory. Since then, it has shrunk further and is now on track to get smaller still.
The Air Force expects its fleet of fighters, bombers, tankers, cargo planes, drones and other aircraft to dip below 5,000 in fiscal 2025, as retirements of older, worn down and outdated airframes outpace procurement of their replacements. Indeed, the fleet could drop to 4,903 total aircraft next year, but it may yet fall further.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/air/2024/04/23/as-the-us-air-force-fleet-keeps-shrinking-can-it-still-win-wars/
