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F-22 sunset

Most USAF Fighter Mission Capable Rates Rise in Fiscal 2020, Led by F-35

May 24, 2021 | By John A. Tirpak
The Air Force's fighter fleet generally saw an uptick in mission capable rates in fiscal 2020. The most dramatic improvement was the F-35's. Its rate jumped from 61.6 percent in fiscal 2019 to just over 76 percent in fiscal 2020. The F-15D's and E's MC ...

Air Force Wants to Cut 421 Old Fighters, Buy 304 New Ones

May 14, 2021 | By John A. Tirpak
The Air Force plans to begin evolving its fighter fleet to one that can win a Pacific war by retiring 421 old jets and buying 304 new ones, transitioning away from the F-22 and A-10 to an advanced, sixth-generation fighter and an F-16 replacement in ...

New Force Design: NGAD Needed Soon, F-22 Sunset Begins in 2030

May 13, 2021 | By John A. Tirpak
The Air Force is preparing to unveil a 30-year fighter force design that calls for two new fighters—one for high-end fights and one for less demanding missions—a new way of providing close air support, and the retirement of the F-22 starting in about 2030, a ...

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