The question becomes how soon. Lawmakers already told the Air Force “hands off” three legacy systems for Fiscal 2006. According to news reports, though, the service is eyeing out-year retirements for B-52, F-117, and U-2 aircraft to free up funds for new and remaining systems. Estimates of the savings vary. USAF plans to move up to 2008 retirement of the entire fleet of F-117 stealth fighters. It would cut half the B-52 bomber force and definitely has nixed a BUFF jammer. And, it would retire all U-2 reconnaissance aircraft by 2011. Congress, of course, could pull a B-1B maneuver, forcing USAF to retain some or all of these aircraft.
The U.S. sent Air Force F-16s over central Syria in a show of force following the Dec. 13 killing of two U.S. Army Soldiers and one American civilian interpreter by a gunman linked to the Islamic State group.
