Last fall, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England hired a private firm—Whitney, Bradley, and Brown—to look at ways to “optimize” (read, “cut”) the fighter fleets of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. That report is due in August. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Gen. Michael Moseley said, “I can’t imagine a study that would come in with less” than 183 F-22s, adding that “the other studies all show more than 183.” Moseley explained that it’s not just what the F-22 can do that calls for an adequate fleet, “it’s the notion of what does the F-22 replace.” Combatant commanders will be loath “to give up air dominance assets” without a replacement on hand, he asserted. With the F-15C fleet already about 24 years old, Moseley asked, “How long would you have to keep them around?”
The Air Force Historical Foundation has recognized two Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber wings among the winners of its 2025-2026 prestigious annual awards, selecting both for their part in Operation Midnight Hammer, the daring raid on Iran’s fortified nuclear weapons sites.
