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NEWS | May 28, 2009

AF restructures fighters to create compact, lethal force

By Airman 1st Class Sylvia Olson 1st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The Secretary of the Air Force announced Combat Air Force's restructuring plan for fiscal year 2010. The plan proposes to retire legacy fighters in order to fund a more compact and lethal force and redistribute personnel to priority missions. 

Under the plan, a total of 254 aircraft will be retired in 2010, including 112 F-15 Eagles, 134 F-16 Fighting Falcons and three A-10 Thunderbolt II's, which totals a cost savings of $355 million for 2010 and $3.5 billion over the next five fiscal years. The Air Force will reinvest these funds to upgrade remaining legacy fighters and F-22 Raptors. 

Planned upgrades include procuring munitions for joint war fighters such as the small diameter bomb, hard-target weapons and the AIM-120D and AIM-9X missiles, and the sustainment of critical intelligence capabilities. 

"We've taken this major step only after a careful assessment of the current threat environment and our current capabilities," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. "Make no mistake; we can't stand still on modernizing our fighter force." 

According to Col. Matthew Molloy, 1st Fighter Wing commander, the CAF restructuring plan for fiscal year 2010 does not come as a surprise. 

"The Wing has been preparing for the eventual divestment of its F-15 fighters for several years," Colonel Molloy said. 

Langley's 18 F-15 Eagles will be reallocated to other Air Force and Air National Guard units, which in turn will be retiring some of their older aircraft. 

"Langley's Eagles have received numerous upgrades, including improved engines and advanced avionics that will make them viable front-line fighters for years to come," said Colonel Molloy. 

The CAF restructuring plan allows the Air Force to use reassignment and retraining programs to move approximately 4,000 manpower authorizations to priority missions. The realignment includes the expansion of the MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper and MC-12 aircrews, the addition of a fourth active-duty B-52 squadron and also the expansion of Distributed Common Ground System and information processing, exploitation and dissemination. 

Both Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and General Schwartz have committed the Air Force to initiatives that will reinvigorate its nuclear enterprise and field 50 unmanned Combat Air Patrols for ongoing operations by fiscal year 2011. 

"Langley plays an important role in the Air Force's transformation to a smaller, yet more capable force," said Colonel Molloy. "The CAF restructuring plan affords the Air Force the opportunity to upgrade its remaining inventory of legacy fighters, creating a bridge to a fifth-generation fighter force. The 36 F-22 Raptors based here are a key piece of that bridge."