kyleb
Final Approach
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2008
- Messages
- 7,554
- Location
- Marietta, GA
- Display Name
Display name:
Drake the Outlaw
What's the logic behind the USAF's airframe inventory plan? They are proposing retirement, actively retiring, or cutting purchases on the following airframes, with little or no replacement hardware coming on line:
1) The E-3 AWACS. Basically, they have proposed retiring half the fleet next year with a replacement starting to come on-line in about 5 years.
2) They are planning to retire 4 of their 16 JSTARS this year (2022).
3) The F-22. They are proposing to retire 30ish of the 170 airframes because they are too costly to modernize. I'm sure the next silver bullet fighter will be much less expensive. <snort>
4) They proposed building >200 new F-15EX's to replace aging F-15C's and D's with the possibility of a follow-on order to begin replacing the F-15E's. Now they are considering reducing the buy to <100 aircraft. Not sure what tactical asset is gonna reach out over 300 miles without tanker support if they don't have the F-15 or a derivative in the field.
5) They have already <recently> reduced the B-1 fleet and the A-10 fleet.
Is all of this to buy F-35's and B-21's? What's the interim plan when all these older airframes are in the boneyard and the new stuff isn't online?
What are they planning to do for airspace management (E-3) and battlefield management (JSTARS) in the interim while they wait on whatever comes next?
It really feels like they are cutting their own throat in the interim before the B-21 comes online and before the block 4 F-35's are fielded. I can't see either of those programs being produced in the quantities the AF is talking about today.
It is baffling to me unless there are stacks of magic UAV's sitting in restricted access areas all over the world.
1) The E-3 AWACS. Basically, they have proposed retiring half the fleet next year with a replacement starting to come on-line in about 5 years.
2) They are planning to retire 4 of their 16 JSTARS this year (2022).
3) The F-22. They are proposing to retire 30ish of the 170 airframes because they are too costly to modernize. I'm sure the next silver bullet fighter will be much less expensive. <snort>
4) They proposed building >200 new F-15EX's to replace aging F-15C's and D's with the possibility of a follow-on order to begin replacing the F-15E's. Now they are considering reducing the buy to <100 aircraft. Not sure what tactical asset is gonna reach out over 300 miles without tanker support if they don't have the F-15 or a derivative in the field.
5) They have already <recently> reduced the B-1 fleet and the A-10 fleet.
Is all of this to buy F-35's and B-21's? What's the interim plan when all these older airframes are in the boneyard and the new stuff isn't online?
What are they planning to do for airspace management (E-3) and battlefield management (JSTARS) in the interim while they wait on whatever comes next?
It really feels like they are cutting their own throat in the interim before the B-21 comes online and before the block 4 F-35's are fielded. I can't see either of those programs being produced in the quantities the AF is talking about today.
It is baffling to me unless there are stacks of magic UAV's sitting in restricted access areas all over the world.