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Two-Thirds of US Navy F-18s are grounded
Broken... No spare parts... Unable to repair... 2/3rds of the Navy's top strike fighters can't fly. (www.cnn.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
You are correct from the micro view but the macro view relates to the budget cuts agreed to by POTUS and Congress. That the DOD continued to throw money at the F-35 program did rob much of the funds needed to keep the fleet of F/A 18's operational. Manpower shortage doesn't help either.
The F-35 is a vital program and is maturing nicely. The Pentagon chose to throw money at other acquisitions that were lower priority, and delay maintenance of everything while stretching the existing forces even thinner instead of dealing with existing known issues.
Would you want more new F18s and reduce the F35 buy? We can't afford both.
Try the desert floors many parts available down there big grave yard full of action waiting to return to the skies. B 52'S FA 18 HORNETS the list goes on
No doubt they have already been cannibalized to keep the current fleet flying. Another report indicates that it will be two years to get the fleet to full strength (meaning half of the current hanger queens).
Because the all-weather attack aircraft is currently being flown beyond its originally forecast life due to mission requirements, it was experiencing significant corrosion and fatigue issues in its outer and inner wing panels.
To blame the Current, or past, POTUS for this failure shows the ignorance of the individual writing the review.
Lt. Colonel R. Orgill, USMC, Retired