U. S. Air Force Fleet Deterioration

U. S. Air Force warplanes are quickly wearing out due to their extended use in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The leader of the Air Combat command, General Ronald Keys states that warplanes are deteriorating because of unraveled electrical cables on U-2 spy planes and cracked wings on A-10 attack planes.

Air Force and other military planes are flying in tougher environments, which have increased the number of missions they're involved in.

Since the planes are wearing out, the Air Force has to cut back on its personnel because of the lack of available funds. Hostile fire has killed more ground troops than the airmen and pilots.

Loren Thompson from the Lexington Institute, states that at the beginning of the Bush administration many policymakers were ready to embrace the idea that air power could win wars.

The Air Force is facing many problems because of the air winning wars concept.

The Air Force has been in combat since 1990 when U. S. planes and fighter bombers patrolled over Iraq during the start of Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. After the 1991 Gulf War, Air Force pilots patrolled no-fly zones for 12 years over Iraq.

Air Force military planes were heavily used in the 1999 NATO air war which forced Serbian troops out of Kosovo and in Afghanistan in 2002 when they removed the Taliban from power. The Service planes have been in action everyday during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars since they started.

A quarter-century is the average age of Air Force planes, and the Air Force has been forced to limit the amount of time planes are flown due to wear and tear from war combat.

In December 2006, the Air Force cut 40,000 people from its personnel which will reduce its personnel to 315,000 by 2009. This reduction in force will allow the Air Force to purchase more aircrafts.

25 Air Force troops died in aircrafts that were shot down or crashed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Air Force records reveal that the Air Force spends 87% more on maintenance fees for warplanes that are not ready to fly.

General Keys feels that policymakers will pay attention when a plane crashes during takeoff or over a city due to a wing malfunction.