1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov October 9, 2018Defenses 30-Year Aircraft Plan Reveals New DetailsEach year, the Department of Defense issues a 30-year aviation plan, intended to chart the direction of the aviation enterprise. This plan is typically relatively short on specifics, in part because 30 y
2、ears is rather far to foresee in detail, particularly as that goes 25 years beyond official defense budget projections. By contrast, the most recent 30-year aviation plan released in April 2018 is full of details on specific programs, including cancellations, life extensions, and new starts. Some ar
3、e explicit; others, between the lines. Some of the highlights follow. Air Force The Air Force previously announced plans to retire the air-superiority F-15C Eagle. But this plan declares an intention to refresh and extends the life of the F-15E Strike Eagles, the attack variant. The Air Force has al
4、so decided to extend the life of its F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. What do the F-15E and the F-16 have in common? They are both slated to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II. This new plan may show the Air Force hedging in case F-35s do not arrive as fast as hoped and thus has to extend existing airf
