USAF MANTENDRA CAZAS DE CUARTA GENERACION EN LUGAR DE COMPRAR NUEVOS/USAF rules out new F-15s and F-16s to narrow ‘fighter gap’

Los retrasos y sobrecostes del Lockheed Martin F-35 no han cambiado los planes de la USAF de desactivar 250 cazas en 2010. Sin embargo la USAF, ha comenzado a realizar pruebas de durabiidad en los F-15 y F-16 para comprobar una posible extensión de su vida útil. Responsables de la USAF, niegan que se vayan a adquir nuevas versiones del F-15 o el F-16 u otros casos de cuarta generación. La USAF ha finalizado la producción del Lockheed F-22 con 186 aviones en el inventario, y tan solo están previstos 1.763 F-35 en los próximos 30 años, a pesar de que los requerimientos son de 2.000 unidades. La USAF afronta el riesgo de no poder dotar a las unidades de aviones suficientes, han alertado organismos gubernamentales: Doce unidades de la Guardia Nacional deberán retirar sus F-16 en 2020, y tan solo está prevista la entrega del F-35 a una de ellas..

Delays and cost overruns for the Lockheed Martin F-35 have not changed the US Air Force's plans to deactivate about 250 fighters later this year, says Chief of Staff Gen Norton Schwartz.
The USAF, however, has begun destructive tests on Boeing F-15s and Lockheed F-16s to prove the viability for a potential service life extension programme, says Schwartz, who spoke to reporters on 30 March after a breakfast speaking event hosted by the Air Force Association. Schwartz also rejected buying the latest version of the F-15 and F-16 -- or "fourth-generation-plus" fighters -- despite a new two-year slip nearly 90% projected cost overrun for the F-35.
The USAF has terminated Lockheed F-22 production with 186 aircraft in inventory after 2011, leaving only plans to acquire 1,763 F-35s over the next 30 years to modernize its fighter fleet. Meanwhile, the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review set the tactical aircraft requirement at about 2,000 fighters.
During the F-35's projection lifetime in production, however, the USAF faces a growing fighter inventory gap made even more complicated by the Lockheed's cost and schedule problems. Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported alarming trends. Twelve Air National Guard units today patrol US airspace with F-16s scheduled for retirement by 2020. As of late 2008, only one of the 12 units was scheduled to receive F-35s by 2020 to continue flying the mission.