The United States Air Force (USAF) has officially stated that initial operating capability (IOC) for the F-35 won't happen until sometime in 2018. This was sort of expected when looking at the tea leaves over the past several months.
F-35 IOC for the USAF is now 7 years late compared to the original plan back in 2001.
Trends and program progress would indicate this will slip again.
Until then, USAF can count on about 300-350 F-16s being modernised with AESA and airframe work. Which will give them about another 7-8 years of additional life depending on each airframe. F-16 Blocks have various health issues. For instance, Block 4X are now very old. The smaller number of Block 5X are no longer young. USAF thinks they can do more above the 300-350 but I wouldn't count on it.
There are around 170-some F-15Cs that will get AESA and various upgrades which will allow them to operate out to the 2020s. We will have 170-some F-22s. When you get rid of the small-motor F-15Es, we will have a few handfuls of large motor F-15Es.
Add all that up and take away some for not being combat-coded, and that is the fast-jet fighter force for the USAF for the 2020-2030 era.
The idea that the F-35 will be able to be helpful in recapitalising the USAF fighter force doesn't seem very credible.
