Get Our Planes and Pilots Back in the Air

HOW THE OMNIBUS BEGINS TO REBUILD THE MILITARY

Washington, DC, March 22, 2018
What the Omnibus Can Do: Invest $47.4 billion to get our planes back in the air, including:

America's Military Today:

  • Our Air Force is smaller than it has ever been, with the average age of Air Force aircraft over 27 years old. The Air Force is 2,000 pilots short. The pilots we do have are flying fewer hours than their predecessors in the 1970s when the service was considered "hollow."
  • Less than half of the Navy's aircraft can fly due to maintenance and spare parts issues.
  • Approximately 80% of Marine Corps aviation units lack the minimum number of ready basic aircraft.


What the Omnibus Can Do: Invest $47.4 billion to get our planes back in the air, including:

  • $11.5 billion to repair or upgrade old aircraft
  • $33.7 billion to replace aircraft too old or broken to repair
  • $2.2 billion to recruit and train more airmen and aircraft mechanics


***Based on Omnibus Funding Levels***