The GAO’s latest assessment report reveals the truth about the performance of US fighter jets and warns the force is at risk of becoming an “empty force”.

According to a recent report by the magazine Popular Mechanics (USA), a new report of the US Government recently warned that, in the past 9 years, almost no fighter aircraft of the US Air Force has reached the mark. 80% of combat efficiency, only 2 out of 46 fighter types have “mission capability”.

This report, produced by the US Government’s Government Accountability Office (GAO), focuses on the problem of US fighters having exceptionally low combat readiness rates for many years and recently. Like no fighter jet can maintain a high level of “mission capability”.

The report, titled Weapon Systems Sustainability, studied 46 types of military aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, with a focus on aircraft such as aircraft. F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft, F-35, F/A-18C and A-10 attack aircraft and important mission support aircraft such as C-17 transport aircraft, relay aircraft KC-135 oil tanker and E-6B nuclear command and control aircraft.

The report classifies 46 aircraft types according to at least 80% mission retention capacity, i.e. at least 80% of each aircraft type can perform at least one specified mission. For example, if 80% of the F-22 fighter jets are declared air-ready, the model will be assessed as capable of performing this year’s missions.

However, such a situation has never really occurred in the past 9 years, and the F-22 fleet has never reached 80% combat readiness. In addition, the F/A-18E/F, F-16, F-15C/D and AV-8B fighters too, with the best performance being the F-15E fighter, have reached the readiness rate. fighting 80% for 4 consecutive years for the past 9 years.

The overall performance of the US bomber force was very poor. B-2 stealth bombers and B-52 bombers have achieved 80% combat readiness in just the last 3/9 years, B-1B bombers have not achieved this goal in the last 3/9 years. 9 years.

The performance of US support planes is also not good. As the “eyes and ears” of the US aircraft carrier, but the E-2D early warning aircraft is almost useless when it has not once achieved 80% of combat efficiency.

The KC-135 tanker, the mainstay of the US Air Force’s refueling fleet, has achieved an 80% readiness rate in just three of the past nine years. The Army’s CH-47 Chinook also had no sorties.

It is difficult to find the bright spots in this report, the only positive assessment is, the US F-35 units, including the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C, In terms of overall combat capability, some improvements have been made.

Another notable feature of the report is that the cost of 22 of the 46 aircraft assessed has been reduced. This is important because operating and maintenance costs can account for 70% of the total cost of a fighter jet.

The GAO report warns that US fighter units run the risk of becoming an “empty force”. Fighter aircraft, especially advanced fighters and bombers, have a very complex composition, no one wants them to be on standby 100% at all times, but 80% is a reasonable number.

However, most US Army fighters do not achieve this. The Pentagon is currently facing a “perilous” situation where, despite having hundreds of fighters, it looks dangerous, but in reality is unable to carry out the mission.