Reference News Network, July 14 report - According to the U.S. "Stars and Stripes" website on July 10, a retired three-star general of the U.S. Air Force recently stated that significantly cutting the F-35 fighter jet program and canceling the E-7 "Wedgetail" airborne early warning aircraft program would be a costly strategic mistake for the U.S. military. Retired General David Deptula told reporters that in the context of an uncertain global security environment, the proposed cuts included in the Air Force's fiscal year 2026 budget plan announced last month could lead to serious capability gaps in the U.S. military.

Deptula said at a press conference organized by the Air Force and Space Force Association that according to this latest budget proposal, the Air Force will cut about 340 aircraft, while only 76 new aircraft will be purchased, with only 24 F-35A models planned for procurement. The F-35A is currently the most advanced fighter jet. He said: "The U.S. Air Force is now at its oldest, smallest, and worst-prepared fleet in its history."

He added: "Under the current plan, the size of the Air Force fleet will further shrink over the next five years. Frankly, the budget does not have enough funds to curb this downward trend. That is why it is crucial for Congress and the American public to pay attention to this issue." Deptula retired from the Air Force in 2010 and currently serves as the director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the United States. On July 7, he led a letter to congressional leaders, reminding them of the serious consequences of the Air Force budget proposal. A total of 16 retired four-star generals signed the letter.

In the letter, these retired generals wrote: "In a period of highly tense global situations, we believe these cuts would severely and unnecessarily weaken our military's deterrent capability, and even damage its ability to win in future conflicts."

Air Force and Pentagon leaders have defended the cutbacks, saying the move aims to allocate more funds to the development of next-generation weapons. Air Force officials introducing the 2026 fiscal year budget proposal stated that cutting the F-35A "Lightning" II fighter jet program would save $3.5 billion, which would be used for developing the sixth-generation F-47 stealth fighter, and increase funding for long-range anti-ship missiles and extended-range joint air-to-surface standoff missiles.

Air Force officials also said that the E-7 "Wedgetail" airborne early warning aircraft program will be canceled due to cost overruns and the survival capability issues of the aircraft in combat environments. The Air Force had originally planned to purchase 26 E-7s to replace the aging E-3 "Sentry" airborne early warning aircraft, but now hopes to shift the focus of surveillance to space-based satellites. However, these retired officers warned on the 10th that space-based satellites are currently unable to perform the surveillance tasks of manned aircraft.

They acknowledged that cost overruns and supply chain issues have long plagued the F-35 program, but the recent performance of the F-35A in Israel's strike on Iran has fully demonstrated the capabilities of the aircraft. Philip Breedlove, who previously served as the commander of the U.S. European Command and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe at NATO, stated that Israeli pilots flying the F-35A destroyed advanced air defense systems provided by Russia to Iran, completely controlling the airspace over Iran. This allowed Israel and subsequently the U.S. B-2 stealth bombers to conduct unimpeded strikes on Iranian military targets during the 12-day conflict. He said: "Look at what Israel did in Iran, and you will understand the significance for us." He also compared the situation in the Ukraine war and stated that the Russian forces have never managed to gain air superiority.

"We don't want to get into a war where we cannot fully leverage the advantages of Western air power or gain air superiority," Breedlove added. These generals suggested that Congress should purchase 75 F-35A fighter jets in the 2026 fiscal year. (Translated by Wang Dongdong)

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