The Strain of Our Aging Fleet

[unhappycamper]

The Strain of Our Aging Fleet
April 06, 2008
Stars and Stripes|by Kent Harris and Jennifer Svan

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld got into hot water in December 2004 while talking with Soldiers in Kuwait about a lack of armor-plated vehicles for troops in Iraq.

"As you know, you go to war with the Army you have," he said. "They're not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time."

The same statement could have been applied to the Air Force then. And even more so three years later.

The planes operating in the skies over Iraq and Afghanistan while Rumsfeld was speaking are still in use today. Some were in use before he assumed the job the first time - in 1975.

The war on terrorism "clearly is putting hours on our aircraft, our mobility fleet, some of our tanker fleets," said Col. Bruce Litchfield, director of logistics for Pacific Air Forces. "They are working very hard. That is something to be concerned about."


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/the-strain-of-our-aging-fleet.html



uhc comment: Fourth article in a row talking about 'old' aircraft.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. It's a testament to the design of the C-130 and the B-52...

...both of which are over 50 years old. Amazing...