The 2025 budget request from the U.S. Department of Defense outlines the Air Force’s intention to decommission around 250 airframes.
The decision may result in over $2 billion in savings.
The U.S. House Armed Services Committee’s alternative proposal to the Pentagon’s budget blueprint is embedded in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
It suggests potential changes in aircraft distribution that could benefit Ukraine.
The NDAA puts a stop to certain retirements pending the Air Force’s elucidation of its global operational game plan, underscoring the significance of specific aircraft like the F-15E Strike Eagles in potential power projection scenarios.
On the other hand, it recommends halting the retirement of the F-22 Raptors, citing their unparalleled air superiority capabilities as the reason for their continued existence.
The transfer of aircraft to Ukraine is becoming more tangible as certain Air Force retirements.
Including 11 F-16 C/D multi-role fighter aircraft, 56 A-10 Warthog ground attack aircraft, and 65 F-15C/D Eagle air superiority fighters, which seem more likely to be approved by the NDAA.
The A-10 Warthog, initially designed to defeat Soviet-era weapon systems, its vulnerability to contemporary Russian surface-to-air missile systems like the S-300 and S-400 has been a point of concern.
Despite this, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall acknowledged in April that Ukraine has reservations about the A-10’s survivability, hinting at the nuanced decisions surrounding military aid.
NATO nations, led by Denmark and the Netherlands, have pledged approximately 45 F-16 fighters to Ukraine, enough for three small squadrons, with deliveries expected by the end of summer.
If the U.S. were to include its 11 F-16s in this collective effort, it would “significantly improve the potential impact of the aircraft on Ukraine’s warfighting capability.”
Furthermore, the U.S. has signaled a possible shift in its stance on providing Ukraine with longer-range weapon systems.
As exemplified by discussions on the M39A1 version of the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which boasts a 300-kilometer range.
Such developments could precede the transfer of U.S. F-16s to Ukraine and represent a crucial advancement in Ukraine’s aerial warfare capabilities.