The Air Force says it may retire a total of 272 aircraft in Fiscal 2008. This includes both fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters. Scheduled to go are: 17 B-52s, 24 C-130Es, 32 F-15s, 35 F-16s, 42 F-117s (completing the retirement of the Nighthawk fleet), 48 KC-135Es, 10 MH-53J/M helicopters, 63 T-37Bs, and one U-2. Originally, the service requested permission to phase out more than 300 aircraft in 2008. In Fiscal 2009, USAF has asked Congress for permission to phase out 182 aircraft.
House, Senate Unveil Competing Proposals for 2026 Budget
July 11, 2025
Lawmakers from the House and Senate laid out competing versions of the annual defense policy bill on July 11, with vastly different potential outcomes for some of the Air Force’s most embattled programs.