Lookout Mom, Obama shrunk the Air Force

Jack David and Michael Dunn:

Serious talk of America's defense budget was largely absent from the final weeks of the presidential campaign, once President Barack Obama likened Gov. Mitt Romney's concerns to an anachronistic focus on "horses and bayonets." But when Mr. Romney lamented that (among other things) the U.S. Air Force has the fewest airplanes it has ever had, he was correct. At its founding in 1947, it had more than 12,300 planes. Today: approximately 5,200.

As the Air Force has been retiring large numbers of older aircraft in recent years, its budgets—drafted by the Pentagon and ultimately enacted by Congress—have prevented it from acquiring enough new aircraft to perform the missions of those retired. From 2008 through 2012, the Air Force retired 700 more aircraft than it bought.

Nevertheless, the Obama administration's budget request for fiscal year 2013 sought to retire an additional 300 airplanes while buying only 54 new ones—a proposal that Congress has so far refused to endorse. The last time the U.S. bought so few aircraft was 1915 (for the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, an Air Force predecessor). The U.S. even bought more aircraft during the Great Depression.

Then there is the matter of how America's offensive and defensive capabilities have weakened over the past 20 years compared with those of its adversaries and potential adversaries. From that perspective, Mr. Romney's critical statements on defense cutbacks didn't begin to portray how perilous is the state of the Air Force—and how soon its weaknesses might begin endangering missions essential to U.S. national security.

Russian and Chinese aircraft, flown by Indian pilots in exercises, have already bested the U.S. Air Force's fourth-generation aircraft, F-15s and F-16s. Both Russia and China have developed fifth-generation fighters similar to the Air Force's F-22 and F-35. 

Moscow and Beijing say they intend to produce those aircraft in numbers far greater than does the U.S., and they have announced plans to sell them to other countries. Russia and China are also creating air defenses that will challenge all but the most sophisticated U.S. aircraft, as are Iran, Venezuela and other countries. 

Also troubling are the recent closures of several Air Force production lines. This means that if current estimates of Air Force needs turn out to be too low—for example, if the rising capabilities and intentions of Russia or China become greater threats than anticipated—then the U.S. won't be able to act quickly in response. The production lines and the people who man them will be gone. 

Over the past four years, the Obama administration terminated or delayed seven aircraft production lines, including those of the F-22 fighter jet, the C-17 transport airplane, the replacement search-and-rescue helicopter, and a new bomber.
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There is more.

The F-35 is way behind schedule as a replacement for planes that are older than their pilots.  Obama is treating the Defense Department and the Air Force as if there is a peace dividend while we are still at war and while potential adversaries are expanding their capabilities.  We will still need conventional aircraft even as drones become more important in our wars.  The Navy is developing an advanced bomber, the X-47B that maybe a model for future war planes.  Will we have the resources to develop them?  Will Democrats block their production?