Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Crippling USAF combat capability

You can't do this without it having serious, long-term, cascading, negative effect on the training pipeline and combat readiness. This is of course a sham by DOD/USAF because they don't remember what it is like to have normal operations in the days of pre-911. There was a time when you could run the USAF on $100B per year.

All this does make for a good argument to kill the Wing (The post Cold War, no general left behind act) and have Groups with one flying squadron and all the support squadrons from soup to nuts.

F-22

94th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

27th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

3rd Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

15th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

49th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15 C/D

67th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

44th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15E

336th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

335th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

391st Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

F-16 C/D

8th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

77th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

55th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

79th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

555th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

510th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

13th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

14th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

57th Wing — One squadron (Thunderbirds) stands down April 9

158th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

169th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

187th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

354th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

4th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable until redeployment

421st Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

A-10C

75th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

52nd Fighter Wing — Closing

442nd Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

917th Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

HH-60G

18th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

B-1B

7th Bomb Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

2nd Bomb Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

B-2

509th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

B-52

2nd Bomb Wing — One squadron stand down April 9

5th Bomb Wing — Two combat squadrons combat mission ready through September

E-3B/C/G

2nd Bomb Wing — Basic mission capable through September

18th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

552nd Air Control Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

SE-4B

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

EC-130H

55 Electronic Combat Group — One squadron combat mission ready through September

OC-135B

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135S

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135U

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135V/W

55th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

TC-135W

55th Wing (training) — One squadron basic mission capable through September

WC-135C/W

55th Wing. — One squadron combat mission ready through September

After this dumb idea, we will hear about USAF aircrew leaving the service in droves.

Park 'em if you got 'em.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Is that a 'for Sale' sign!?

I can see some bargain 'operational equiptment'

Anonymous said...

Eric,

Why would you suggest designating the future structure as 'Groups'?

Just store newly delivered replacement jets in hangars and number the hangars?

Half the force could be maintained by a single support squadron. Now we're talking serious efficiency, no?

And maybe RCAF could stand-up the 4 F-15E squadron's standing down? 12 yr Lease for 1 dollar per jet, plus cost to upgrade with APG-82, new displays and IRST? Just pay maintenance -- RCAF could simply outsource that contract for at least the first 5 yrs to keep things simple. Replace CFT with a triple bag config a la F-15C/D?

That could buy RCAF strategic-thinking time to assess prudent, sustainable recap mix starting 2025.

scoot7 said...

Yup, the decline of American air power is culminating nicely.

Let's all hope 1) what pilots remain respect their limited training proficiency and the accident rate doesn't soar, and 2) no wars break out. Actually, I think hoping no wars happen is the DOD's entire strategy.

Real combat readiness has been low on the USAF's priority list for years now, but this FY alone will cripple it for a long time.

Another Peter said...

Jesus, the USAF is doing really terrible now and into the future by crippling their own air force like that.