Air Force Sunsets & Modernizes its Fighter Jets: A-10s, F-15s, F-16s, F-22s, B-21s & B-52s

Video Above: B-52s, B-21s and GBSDs: The Costs and Importance of Deterrence Modernization

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

For many years now, the Air Force has been working intensely to find the optimal balance between building new platforms and maintaining, upgrading and sustaining the existing ones.

The issue continues to take on new significance as the service reaches new milestones in the development of its new, much needed platforms such as the soon-to-take flight B-21 bomber and emerging 6th-generation stealth fighter jet. 

New airframes and platforms have been crucially needed by the service to combat obsolescence for current platforms and breakthrough modernization is also needed in order for the service to stay in front of fast emerging threats.

F-15s, F-16s and A-10s

The Air Force is retiring a number of aging aircraft to free up maintainers, engineers, budget and fleet structures for new platforms. For instance, the service is divesting older F-15s, F-16s and A-10s, among others. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown recently told Congress about this delicate, yet extremely crucial balancing act.

“When I talk about balancing risk over time, there’s a balance between the operational risk we will see today as we make that transition versus the risk we’ll have in the future if we don’t start to modernize,” Brown said in response to a question suggesting the Air Force was retiring too many planes.