At a time when threats against America are growing, the U.S. military is facing a combat readiness crisis that jeopardizes its ability to protect the country. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, discussed this problem recently at The Heritage Foundation.
Thornberry explained that this readiness shortfall has occurred as a result of “budget cuts coupled with deployments, at a pace and a number that have not really declined very much.”
Thornberry outlined five alarming facts caused by the readiness crisis:
- The Air Force is short 4,000 maintainers and more than 700 pilots today......
- In 2015 the Navy had a backlog of 11 planes in depot, next year in [20]17 they are going to have a backlog of 278......
- Less than one-third of the Army is ready to meet the requirements of the Defense Strategic Guidance—it’s supposed to be no less than two-thirds.........
- Marine Corps aviation requires on average 10 hours of flight time a month and they are getting about four.........
- Less than half of the Air Force combat forces are ready to face a peer competitor such as China and Russia.....
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