Records You Don't Want To Set

摘要

A decade ago, the Air Force was at war and fielded a Total Force fleet of 2,526 fighters, 182 bombers, 637 tankers, and 976 transports. Ten years later, USAF is still at war and operates 514 fewer fighters, 23 fewer bombers, 136 fewer tankers, and 193 fewer transports. In 2004, the force was already feeling the effects of the 1990s "procurement holiday." B-1 bombers averaged 16 years old, F-15s were 19, the A-10 fleet averaged 22 years old, the T-38 trainer was 36, and USAF's B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers were both 42.