‘Oldest, Smallest, Least Ready’: The Crisis Facing America’s Fighter Fleet

The United States’ fighter jet fleet is being slowly squeezed from both ends. There are simply too few modern fighter aircraft coming into service, all while too many experienced aviators are exiting the fleet. The result here is a force that senior leaders have been quick to describe as shrinking, aging, and becoming less ready for a high-end fight. Their warning is now extremely stark.