Update on readiness, getting fighter aircraft to 80%

I discussed how the FY 2019 NDAA has pilfered O&M funds for RDT&E, likely putting system readinesss in an even worse position. Now, the SecDef wants a leap ahead in aircraft readiness:

“The Air Force has submitted a plan to improve the mission-capable rate of F-22, F-35 and F-16 squadrons, which currently is below a level set by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. The plan… ordered the Air Force and Navy to get mission capable rates for F-22, F-35, F/A-18 and F-16 fighters to 80 percent by the end of 2019, a significant increase from where they were when last released to the public.

“According to the Air Force data for FY2017, released in March, the F-16C fleet reported a mission capable rate of 70.22 percent, the F-35A fleet reported 54.67 percent and the F-22A reported a low rate of 49.01 percent.”

SecAF Wilson said that meant “plussing up our supply accounts” and making maintainers work overnight. Wilson said:

“That will mean shifting some money around in our budget, but we’ve put a plan together to do that.”

I’d like to hear how they scrapped up those funds considering Congress already moved money from O&M to RDT&E. Perhaps getting high visibility systems like fighter aircraft ready will come at the expense of other systems. One possibility is drawing money from satellite O&M, which may expect a boost from Space Force funding.

The Navy might have a bit more trouble, considering that it was ordered to build a 355 ship Navy, which means not retiring older ships leading to higher O&M. Some ships expect to have a 50-year lifespan.

Navy ship classes, current designed service life years vs. proposed years.
The Cruisers have been proposed to increase their service life by nearly 50%!