[Portcall24]

This year, the flying branch plans to divest 250 aircraft, leaving it with less than 5,000 aircraft—the lowest in its history since it split from the Army after World War II. For reference, the service had ~9,000 aircraft when Desert Storm was fought and ~6,200 aircraft when 9/11 happened.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

But it’s bringing a B1 Lancer out of mothballs for refurbishment. So +1.

[T.B. Yoits]

This is manpower shortage, as well as the problem of the country being $34 trillion in debt.

[The Sons of Liberty]

The US Air Force may be the largest in the world, but to borrow a line from Toby Keith (R.I.P), it just ain’t as good as it once was.

But Hey, it's the most WOKE!

[pfflier]

The bean counters always think that we have such a technological edge that less is sufficient. ,

That edge has dissipated if not totally disappeared but the delusion continues. There are just not enough assets to cover all of the mission requirements in a high intensity war.

Lose a squadron of F-22s or B-1s over time in a hot war, and you have effectively lost any qualitative advantage.

[BobL]

“This year, the flying branch plans to divest 250 aircraft”

Glad we don’t have any hot spots with major military powers lurking in our future...

[Bonemaker]

Probably only 300 pilots is the problem.

[Colorado Doug]

But how many planes do they identify as having?

[daniel1212]

This year, the flying branch plans to divest 250 aircraft, leaving it with less than 5,000 aircraft—the lowest in its history since it split from the Army after World War II. For reference, the service had ~9,000 aircraft when Desert Storm was fought and ~6,200 aircraft when 9/11 happened. p span[style*="font-size"] { line-height: 1.6; }

This follows other cuts: they tried to divest 310 aircraft in 2023 and 250 aircraft in 2022.

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And it ain’t over yet.

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This is part of a bigger plan to divest 1,469 aircraft from 2023 to 2027. For perspective, that’s equal to the entire air forces of the UK, Australia, and Japan—combined. That wouldn’t be so bad if they were being replaced…but the Air Force is only buying ~400 aircraft over the same timeframe, which is a 1,000-aircraft net negative for those who don’t do math.

[DesertRhino]

When looking at individual aircraft choices (e.g., the decrepit F-15C fleet), these are (mostly) very reasonable, palatable, and defensible decisions.

The F-15C has never been shot down in combat. Unprecedented in the history of combat aircraft. But ok, “decrepit”.

[delta7]

Using Biblical reference as to what is happening in the US.
1) the corrupted, Godless leader is always exposed, as we are seeing.
2) The corrupted , immoral leadership takes “ Pride” in spreading their anti- God and filthy mindset.
3) The corrupted nation’s military deteriorates into a weakened state.
4) The corrupted nation’s wealth is taken away.

We are witnessing all four, and many more.

Of course, those not schooled in Biblical history and doctrine will never see it…..
But Christians do.

[Captainpaintball]

I would take, on a neutral theoretical battlefield, 1991’s army against today’s.

[Jacquerie]

<>6,200 aircraft when 9/11 happened<>

Happened?

Uh, when the sons of Satan, muslims, killed thousands of American civilians.

[GOPJ]

Well really if we're at war with China and Iran at the same time - and they've crossed over a million soldiers into our country at the Rio Grande - does it matter if our Air Force has less than 5,000 planes?

Does it matter if they have any planes at all?

The stupid people running the military can still have funding to teach pronouns and sensitivity and "hate yourself if you're white"... And isn't that all that matters?