WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2022) The US Navy will have to operate with far fewer combat fighter aircraft than it needs for the next decade through to 2031 because far fewer F-35 jets than planned will be delivered and the F-18 upgrade program is also being cut back, US House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chair Donald Norcross said.
"(T)he Navy now informs us their strike-fighter shortfall will not be resolved until 6 years later (than planned) in 2031 because of further unplanned reductions in F-35 purchases and reduced aircraft inductions into the F-18 modification program," Norcross said in prepared testimony to the HASC on Wednesday.
Norcross was also critical of the Navy's plan to scrap its entire land-based force of F-18G Growler aircraft currently deployed in Europe with NATO.
"(T)he Navy is illogically proposing to divest its entire fleet of land-based EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft that are currently deployed in the European theater supporting NATO deterrence and force posture activities against Russian aggression," he said.
For the Marine Corps, the Commandant's Force Design 2030 plan issued two years ago significantly reduces the number of tactical fighter aircraft in their squadrons and brings into question the current program of record plans to purchase 420 F-35 aircraft, Norcross said.
The HASC has been waiting for over two years to officially see the analysis justifying this mandated reduction and the committee "remains frustrated" that�the Marine Corps has been unable to communicate a final decision on this aspect of its 2030 Force Design plan, Norcross added.
