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Posted on 04/18/2026 5:05:28 AM PDT by daniel1212
Leaders of the Air National Guard argued that the Air Force's readiness was woefully inadequate...
"The United States Air Force is the oldest, the smallest, and the least ready in its 78-year history," the letter, which was obtained by Air and Space Forces Magazine, read.
To rectify the historic deficiency, military leaders are requesting between 72 and 100 new fighter jets across the Air Force's active duty, reserve and guard corps.
Specifically, the adjutants generals — the leader of the National Guard in their respective state — are requesting at least 48 new F-35s and 24 new F-15EXs.
The letter also states a desired goal of procuring 72 new F-35s and 36 new F-15EXs every year.
It was signed by all 22 adjutant generals..
"What we’re trying to do with this is send a strong message from the two-star generals that command the National Guards in these states," he told Air and Space Forces.
Smith pointed to Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.'s sprawling military campaign in Iran, as showcasing the need for more jets and resources.
"We are burning these jets and the Airmen over time to support the joint force to accomplish the president’s goals with Epic Fury in this conflict with Iran," he told the magazine.
The Air Force asked Congress to procure 48 F-35s in 2024 and 42 in 2025. For F-15EXs, they asked for 24 in 2024 and 18 in 2025..
"If we keep dabbling under 72, that isn’t winning, that is raising the water line," Smith told the outlet. "If we don’t procure at a higher rate, all of these fighter squadrons will remain with ’70s-era fighters. Most of the money will go to keep them flying. In a few years, they’ll be struggling to be flyable, let alone be relevant."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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And some new A-10s. They really do work.
The military always asks for more than they need and more than they expect. That compensates for the inevitable cuts that happen as the funding process struggles through congress.
The A-10 is the most effective combat aircraft in the US armed services in my opinion.
The military knows the Art of the Deal. Problem is the Democrats and RINOs use the social programs as family and campaign funding programs.
We also probably have the smallest cavalry in history.
Can we ask Joe Bidet to get some back from the ones he left in Afghanistan?
This article (your reference) is from March 6th. Get real.
Looks like it’s time to raid the boneyard at Davis-Monthan for more birds.
CC
Good! My defense stocks drop when they declare a ceasefire. Since its all about the stock market, then we need more war stuff.
It’s a visible and loud aircraft—which is cool. I know several A10 pilots and they loved the plane.
But it is really only viable when air superiority is established. In the early days of a conflict it is too slow and vulnerable. As a Close Air Support weapon it is exceptional.
It is a tool in the toolbox.
If they could come up with an smaller, unmanned version it would be exceptional.
Rino Mike Turner once again...Wright Patterson AFB is in this POS’s district. I’ve warned FR before about this traitor before.
cc Trump administration official Stephen Miller...
As a retired Air Force Senior NCO, I know that if we don’t protect the sky then the A-10 becomes a target for enemy fighters we didn’t clear out.
Air operations are a team effort. You cannot have ground support without air superiority.
The Russians learned this over Ukraine.
I love the A-10. My brother-in-law was an electronics countermeasure technician on them. I advocate keeping it flying, and BTW, so do many in the Air Force. For all the talk you hear on this website about how the Air Force “Hates” the A-10, many still are flying it, and many top leaders flew it, and none of them “hate” it.
Most of the talk around getting rid of it comes from the bean counters, because there always will be more needs for aircraft than money allows. So they try to balance that with cuts with no real mission sense, but much of the opposition to cutting the A-10 that comes from Congress is in fact pushed to them from the people who fly it.
If you look at the history of aircraft procurement, it has always been this way.
I’m thinking we should turn a lot of “zombie vipers” from the boneyard into kamikaze drones.
You get no argument from me.
As you say it is a tool
Judge a tool on how well it does its job.
In my opinion the A-10 does its job better than any other combat aircraft we have flying judged on what I read in the news (which is mostly on FR).
I am in no way suggesting that the A-10 should replace the F35 or any other combat aircraft.
I would suggest that the A-10 should remain in the arsenal for the foreseeable future.
Any replacement of the A-10 should be essentially the same aircraft. Don’t mess with success.
Based on???
We also probably have the smallest cavalry in history.
Oh, they could be correct. The Air Force was created *after* WWII. Until 1947, there wasn’t any Air Force, there was the Army Air Corps...
Against countries without any kind of air defense, even MANPADs, I agree.
If the enemy has anything remotely modern, the A10 is a flying target.
“That compensates for the inevitable cuts that happen as the funding process struggles through congress.”
And back. When capital expenditures (the wish list) are sent up it gets clipped by every in basket it is tossed into, and then back down the line to be cut every time again.
What the public doesn’t know is that not every branch needs to be maximized. The branches are used like a jigsaw puzzle and not individual hammers. They have specific duties and are built for that capacity.
The United States Air Force (USAF) operates the most aircraft in the U.S. military, with over 5,000 active-duty manned and unmanned aircraft. It is the largest air force in the world, maintaining a wide range of fighters, bombers, and transport planes. And the manning and maintenance capacity is geared to that. Plus it is established to accomplish a goal staying within the budget guidelines acceptable to the public. Where does it end with the public thinking bigger is better if they don’t want to be responsible for paying for it? And let it get expensive, or even the appearance of expensive, and some opposite politician screams bloody murder to a press that enthusiastically and exuberantly makes it the biggest crime since Hitler.
wy69
Given the massive shift in warfare tactics over the past half decade towards drone tech... Wouldn’t it be better to just put these funds towards buying more cost effective attack drones?
$10 billion dollars buys a lot of drones.
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