The U.S. Air Force is shifting its focus on maintenance resources to prioritize aircraft capable of operating in contested environments, according to Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. Speaking at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air Space Cyber conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on March 11, 2024, Meink addressed the alarming decline in aircraft readiness levels, a challenge he described as more significant than he had anticipated.
During his keynote address, Meink emphasized the critical state of aircraft readiness, stating, “We have some of the best aircraft,” including the F-22 and F-35 fighters, as well as the B-2 bomber. Despite their advanced capabilities, the Air Force’s fleet-wide mission-capable rate fell to 62% in fiscal year 2024, meaning that nearly four out of ten aircraft were unable to perform their missions at any given time.
Addressing the Readiness Challenge
The decline in aircraft readiness has been a growing concern for several years. General David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, raised alarms about this issue at a previous conference in March. He presented data indicating that aircraft availability has dropped from 73% in 1994 to 54% in 2024. One major factor contributing to this decline is the aging fleet; the average age of aircraft has nearly doubled from 17 to 32 years over the past three decades.
Meink pointed to the situation at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, where F-22s are stationed, highlighting the issue of many nonoperational aircraft that are not being repaired due to a lack of necessary parts. “When I go out to Langley and there’s a number of aircraft, nonoperational, sitting around the ramp that aren’t even being worked on because we simply don’t have the parts to do that — that’s a problem, right? We have to fix that,” Meink stated.
In a subsequent roundtable discussion with reporters, Meink acknowledged that maintenance and sustainment have been significant cost drivers for the Air Force over the past fifteen years. He noted that lawmakers and Pentagon leadership are working to increase the Air Force’s maintenance budget.
Future Strategies and Accountability
As the Air Force navigates limited resources, Meink emphasized the need for efficiency and prioritizing maintenance efforts on platforms that are essential for future conflicts. He stated, “If a system is not capable of operating in a contested environment, then we need to be second-guessing and/or thinking about how much money we’re dumping into readiness on those platforms.”
The Secretary also discussed the importance of holding contractors accountable for the reliability of their systems. “When we’re getting a part that’s supposed to last 400 hours, and it lasts 100 hours, that’s unacceptable,” he remarked. Meink called for collaboration between the government and contractors to improve both serviceability and reliability of weapon systems.
William Bailey, performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, added that increasing modularity in new aircraft designs would enhance maintainability. He mentioned initiatives to conduct thorough assessments of supply chains to identify “pinch points” that delay the delivery of critical spare parts.
Meink concluded by stressing the necessity of leveraging advanced data analytics to gain better insights into the condition of weapon systems. With the Air Force poised to retire older aircraft, he expressed optimism that resources could be redirected toward newer, more capable platforms that align with the evolving landscape of air warfare, as evidenced by Ukraine’s successful integration of modified quadcopters against high-value targets.
In summary, the U.S. Air Force is facing a pivotal moment as it addresses the challenges of aircraft readiness and maintenance, striving to ensure its fleet remains capable in the face of future threats.