It has a cost.
At a time when demand for Marine aviation units is growing, the Corps is struggling to maintain and repair aircraft. Approximately 19 percent of the aviation inventory — or 158 aircraft — currently is grounded.
That number is “way too high,” said Lt. Gen. Jon M. Davis, Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation.
If he were the CEO of a commercial airline with 158 airplanes out of service, he said, “I probably would be fired.”
Davis has a plan to improve the health of the fleet, but it will take several years to get all those aircraft back in service, he said May 19 during a meeting with reporters.
Aviation readiness is “what I spend most of my time thinking about,” he said.
The Marine Corps needs about $320 million to fix all 158 aircraft. Davis said Congress likely will approve enough funds to return 26 back to service in 2016.
The 158 grounded aircraft are a mix of heavy lift helicopters, V-22 Ospreys, attack helicopters, F/A-18 fighters and Harrier short-takeoff vertical landing attack warplanes. Some are sitting at maintenance depots waiting for missing parts. Others are in unit flight lines awaiting repairs. In many units, especially those that fly the V-22 Osprey, there are not enough maintainers to keep up with the workload.
Fortunately the F-35 will be very reliable.
No it won't.
.
