US Air Force Eyes Service-Life Extensions

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz confirmed that the air service has begun stress tests on its fleet of F-16 Falcons to help determine how to keep several hundred of the jets airworthy through the end of the decade to hedge against delays in the delivery of the service's 1,763 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

"We're conducting destructive structural assessments on our F-16 and F-15 aircraft to make sure that our engineering estimates are accurate with respect to" the planes' remaining service lives, Schwartz told reporters after a March 31 Air Force Association-sponsored speech in Arlington, Va.
"I think it's pretty clear that our strategy is to pursue service-life extensions [SLEPs] to the extent that is affordable rather than purchase new generation four-and-a-half aircraft while we're working hard to bring on F-35," said Schwartz. "I do not think it is wise to dissipate the limited pool of resources available for F-35 by procuring less capable aircraft that will last as long" as the F-35s.

Some lawmakers are pressing the Air Force to buy new so called 4.5 generation fighters, such as Boeing's F-15SE Silent Eagle or Block-60 F-16s to prevent a fighter gap.

He went on to say that, if viable, SLEPs could cost the Air Force only 10 percent to 15 percent the cost of buying new fighters such as Boeing's F-15SE Silent Eagle or Block 60 F-16s. However, if the costs spike higher than those numbers, the service may have to rethink that plan. Still, Schwartz was adamant that the Air Force cannot afford to purchase new jets based on older designs if it wants to keep its F-35 buy on track.

"We do not think [it makes sense] to utilize precious procurement dollars to buy anything but fifth-generation aircraft," said Schwartz.

The Air Force is retiring 250 of its oldest F-15 Eagles, F-16 Falcons and a handful of A-10 Thunderbolts this year in a move expected to save $3.5 billion over the next five years.

By JOHN REED, Defense News