Air Force, Navy Aircraft Availability and Flight Hours Decline

The U.S. Navy's fighter attack fleet availability 'fell considerably more' than that of the Air Force, according to the government report.

Kimberly Johnson

Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 06:29 PM ET

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A U.S. Navy E/A-18G Growler flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Sept. 25, 2020. [U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Justin Parsons]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft have experienced a decline in flying hours and availability over the past two decades.
The decline is more pronounced in the Navy, particularly for its fighter aircraft, largely due to extensive depot-level maintenance and life-extension inspections for older models like the F/A-18C/Ds.
The Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) assessment, which counts aircraft in depot maintenance or storage as unavailable, offers a starker view of readiness compared to the Department of Defense's (DOD) methodology.

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U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft flying hours and availability have declined over the past two decades, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The trend, which is more pronounced than U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) assessments due to how aircraft are accounted for, was heavier in the Navy, which also flew more hours per aircraft, the nonpartisan government agency tasked with supplying economic analysis to Congress said in a recent report.