The American magazine Popular Mechanics, with reference to the US Government Accountability Office, spoke about the state of the military fleet
The publication claims that, on average, only halfcombat aircraft are ready to perform operational tasks right now. For example, for 2021, about 50% of the 186 fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighters advertised by the United States are ready for combat missions at any time. Not the most rosy picture is emerging in relation to other aircraft.
As noted, according to the report of the Accounts Chamber, the situation looks like this:
- B-1 Lancer supersonic strategic bombersOnly 40.7% are ready for a real war, while 52% were planned;
- heavy military transport aircraft C-5M Super Galaxy— 57.5%, planned 75%;
- KC-135 Stratotanker tankers– 71.1%, should have been 100%;
- transporters C-130T Hercules– 32.4%, 75% should have been prepared;
- tankers KC-130T– 36.5%, and 75% is required in accordance with the budget;
- F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter-bombers- 51%, need 75%;
- P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine patrol aircraft— 67.2%, planned 80%.
“The Pentagon’s huge fleet of military aircraft is much less powerful than it looks,” Popular Mechanics said in a publication.