Fully-armed aircraft from the 18th Wing conduct an elephant walk during a no-notice exercise April 12, 2017, at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 18th Wing operates combat ready fleets of HH-60 Pave Hawks, F-15 Eagles, E-3 Sentries and KC-135 Stratotankers, making it the largest combat-ready wing in the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman John Linzmeier)
Just how many fighter jets does the Air Force need? It depends on whom you ask.
The service is looking to grow its fighter fleet to stay competitive against near-peer threats such as Russia and China. To do so, it believes it needs to increase its number of fighter squadrons from 55 to 60.
“We have the same level of tasking today as we did during Desert Storm, and we have 55 squadrons rather than 130 [we had then],” Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said Tuesday during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
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WNU Editor: Everyone wants their toys .... correction .... expensive toys.
