USMC Transition From Legacy Fighters To F-35 Delayed Eight Years

Inside Defense (subscription) is reporting that the United States Marine Corps (USMC) will have an 8 year delay added to their F-35 transition plan. If anyone is interested, compared to the original plan, it is closer to 15 or more years in delay. But moving right along:

While the strike fighter shortfall is still manageable, the Marines "may experience elevated operational risk in the 2020s if the predicted shortfall comes to fruition," as the service expects to finish its tactical aircraft transition in 2031 rather than in 2023, according to the joint testimony of several Navy and Marine Corps officials submitted in advance of a March 20 House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee hearing.

USMC tac-air was at risk the minute it signed up for the F-35 pie-in-the-sky.

Legacy Hornets will soldier on until 2027 (good luck with that) and Harriers will continue flying until 2030. Reserve Hornet squadrons won't receive F-35s until 2030. Good luck with that too, assuming those squadrons don't case their flag hoping for the F-35 and end up a victim of downsizing.

I guess all those computers in General Amos's office that know when a guy in Fort Worth is on break were not gung ho enough by telling him what he wanted to hear.

What does that do to the force structure? Take a guess:

The shortfall has already arrived for the Marine Corps, at least to a limited extent. The Marines will operate with a shortfall of 10 aircraft this fiscal year, and that shortfall will grow to 12 in FY-13. At the end of FY-13, the Marines will be able to retire a squadron to "meet [Marine Corps] manpower reductions," according to the testimony, "allowing the remaining squadrons to operate without a shortfall."

Given the funding problems, over the long term, I figure more than "a squadron" will disband.

Harriers will get some more funds to improve things like data-links, targeting pods, and well, anything they damn well want because they are the only true and reliable STOVL force.

My prediction? DOD is figuring out how to bury the F-35B STOVL. Once that is done, money can be handed over to field USMC Super Hornets.

This downsizing has a serious effect on USMC (U.S. Navy) amphibious flat-tops. Many of the existing ones retire in the coming years. The fantasy by fans from SLD et al of 10 "carriers" (not carriers folks, limited-scope amphibs) will never happen. With less USMC tac-air (and Marines) we have less fantasy amphibious assault wantabees to feed.

Where is the Great Santini when we need him?