The U.S. military news website “Military.com” reported on Aug. 8 that the U.S. Air Force’s F-35A fleet has increased to a total of 283 aircraft, officially surpassing the A-10, F-15C/D and F-15E to become the second largest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, second only to the F-16.
The report said the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Admiral Brown revealed the fleet size of the seven types of tactical fighters in service at a House Appropriations Committee hearing on the FY 2022 budget request.
Among them, the F-16C/D has 934 aircraft, the F-35A has 283 aircraft in second place, the A-10 has 281 aircraft, the F-15C/D has 234 aircraft, the F-15E has 218 aircraft, and the newly received F-15EX has only 2 aircraft. Prior to that, the F-35 fleet number had surpassed the 187 of the F-22, another stowaway fighter, in 2019.
In the hearing, Brown also refuted various criticisms such as the high cost of the F-35 program and the failure of Pentagon oversight, reiterating that the F-35 is the basis for the U.S. Air Force’s future execution of air warfare and mastery of air power.
However, Brown also admitted that the U.S. Air Force is still studying the appropriate air combat and tactical guidelines, so that the F-35 and other 5th generation fighters can be effectively matched with the traditional 4th generation fighters to maximize combat power.
The U.S. Air Force has already deployed F-35A fighters in the U.S. mainland and Alaska bases, and will also set up the first fixed deployment of overseas F-35A fleet at Lakenheath base in the UK later this year.
The F-35A has become the 2nd most used fighter aircraft in the U.S. Air Force. The picture shows the F-35A at Hill Base, Utah, conducting an elephant walk drill. (Taken from DVIDS website)
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