Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Moseley said the Air Force has “no incentive to go back” to buying any more F-15s or F-16s. Money spent on new old airplanes is going in the wrong direction, he told reporters at AFA’s conference Monday, acknowledging that USAF has declined a Boeing proposal to buy new F-15s if JSF is delayed. The Air Force will only go forward toward an “all-fifth generation” fighter force.
While the Pentagon has signaled its intent to scale technology, field new systems faster, and work more with nontraditional vendors, a new report identifies persistent manufacturing capacity, resourcing, workforce, and modernization challenges that could hinder its ability to deliver on those goals.