US, Europe fly the same jets, but can’t always fix each other’s: Rand
By Michael Peck
Oct 22, 2025, 05:00 PM
German air force Master Sgt. David Szybylski trains on F-16 refueling procedures during NATO cross-servicing training at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. (Senior Airman Darius Frazier/U.S. Air Force)
In theory, the fact that the United States and Europe fly many of the same jets should be a blessing. Common aircraft models — such as the F-35 and F-16 — should mean common spare parts, ground support equipment and mechanics who can fix similar planes from different nations.
But the reality is more complicated. Different variants within the same model, incompatible support equipment and a lack of shared data and procedures create barriers to interoperability, researchers with the Rand Corporation think tank warned in a September report.
For example, there are nearly 600 F-16s in Europe flown by non-U.S. nations, spread across a half-dozen blocks that may have differing engine types, oxygen systems and analog versus digital controls.
The picture is even worse for ground equipment.
“Some nations use U.S.-standard SE [support equipment], while others develop their own, which may only be partially compatible,” the report notes. “Adding to this complexity, some NATO members — such as Poland, Slovakia, and Bulgaria — have historically operated Soviet-era fighters like the MiG-29, with SE that is not designed for Western aircraft.”
The problem is more than logistical. The U.S. Air Force’s Agile Employment Concept, or ACE, calls for fighter squadrons to operate from dispersed airbases, which requires mobility and flexibility. Rather than hauling ground crews and support equipment from base to base, it would be simpler if U.S. military planes could be serviced on Dutch or Polish airfields by local mechanics.
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/10/22/us-europe-fly-the-same-jets-but-cant-always-fix-each-others-study/
