The U.S. Air Force, once considered the most powerful air force in the world, is facing an embarrassing nightmare - its proud fighter jets have nearly half of them unable to take off for combat. The frankness of Air Force Secretary Minch has struck a heavy blow, awakening concerns about the decline of U.S. military capabilities.

Old Heroes: Half of the Fighters are Out of Commission, the U.S. Air Force's "Hemiplegia".

According to a report by Defense News, the mission readiness rate of U.S. Air Force aircraft in fiscal year 2024 was only 62%, meaning that nearly 40% of the aircraft were unable to perform missions on any given day due to various issues. This is worse than what experts had expected, and it can be described as "hemiplegia" at best.

This issue has existed for a long time, and data provided by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Alvin, is even more alarming: the availability of aircraft has dropped from 73% in 1994 to just 54% in 2024. The main reason behind this is the severe aging of the U.S. Air Force fleet. Over the past 30 years, the average age of the U.S. Air Force fleet has almost doubled from 17 years to 32 years. Old aircraft are like elderly people, with frequent minor problems, high maintenance needs, and parts supply cannot keep up.

Minch gave an intuitive example: the F-22 "Raptor", one of the most advanced stealth fighters in the United States, was parked on the tarmac at Langley Air Force Base, filled with aircraft that could not be repaired, simply because of a lack of key parts. This is not just a logistics problem, but a serious drag on U.S. military capabilities.

When Americans look towards the Pacific, China's air force is developing at an astonishing pace. Although there are no official public data, from the recent intensive training of the Chinese air force, the speed of new aircraft deployment, and the high frequency of displays at air shows, it is clear that their aircraft readiness and operational capabilities far exceed those of the United States.

China's air force advantage lies in its young fleet. New-generation aircraft such as the J-20, Y-20, and J-16 are being mass-produced and rapidly deployed. These new planes were designed with ease of maintenance and modularity in mind, significantly reducing the logistical pressure. At the same time, China has a complete and independently controllable defense industry chain, which ensures timely supply of parts. This means that Chinese aircraft will not "break down" due to a shortage of a single part, thus maintaining a high level of training and combat readiness.

"Paper Strong" to "Air Beggar"?

Air Force Secretary Minch admitted that the U.S. Air Force is facing huge challenges and must adjust its strategic thinking. He emphasized that the Air Force must concentrate limited maintenance resources on the aircraft most needed on the future battlefield. Older aircraft that cannot survive in high-threat airspace may face the fate of being phased out. He also pointed out that future air combat will be dominated by drones, artificial intelligence, and other new technologies, and the United States must keep up with the times.

However, these changes take time and money. Before that, the U.S. Air Force will still face an embarrassing reality: despite having the "best aircraft," half of them cannot take off. In comparison, the Chinese air force is in an upward phase, with a young fleet, a complete industrial chain, and advanced tactical thinking, giving it great potential in future air combat.

The "hemiplegia" of the U.S. Air Force undoubtedly adds a new variable to the comparison of air forces between China and the United States. This is not just a military technology issue, but also a strategic choice and a national strength issue.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7554957658957087251/

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