The U.S. Air Force is pushing to accelerate the retirement of ageing aircraft in response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s mandate to cut and reallocate 8% of the military budget. However, history has shown that while making such plans is easy, executing them is much harder—especially when Congress gets involved.
Table of Contents
A-10 Warthog, F-22 Raptor on the Chopping Block!
The Air Force has long argued for retiring outdated aircraft like the A-10 Warthog and older F-22 Raptors, claiming they are no longer suited for modern warfare. But lawmakers, particularly those representing states where these aircraft are based, have repeatedly blocked such moves.
The service’s latest push could see up to 250 aircraft cut, a move the Air Force says would save around $2 billion. But with Hegseth demanding $15 billion in savings from the Air Force alone, officials will have to look beyond just legacy aircraft to meet their targets.
Hegseth’s Budget Cuts: A New Strategy or More Political Gridlock?
Hegseth’s order aims to “refocus and reinvest” existing funds into programs that strengthen the military. This includes eliminating what he calls “woke, non-lethal programs”, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and cutting climate science spending. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, has been tasked with identifying areas for cuts.
However, defense analysts warn that simply cutting DEI and climate programs won’t be enough to hit the 8% reduction. Heather Penney, a former F-16 pilot and senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute, noted that much of the Air Force’s budget is already stretched thin, leaving little “fat” to cut.
Congress vs. the Air Force: A Longstanding Battle
Congress has a history of resisting Air Force attempts to retire aircraft. The A-10 Warthog fight was one of the most heated battles in recent years, with lawmakers—particularly the late Sen. John McCain—blocking efforts to retire the plane for years. Even though the Air Force argued that the A-10 would be vulnerable in a high-tech war against China, Congress only recently relented, allowing the service to begin phasing it out in 2023.
A similar fight is now brewing over the F-22 Raptor Block 20 aircraft. The Air Force wants to retire 32 older F-22s, which are not combat-capable and would be too expensive to upgrade. But Congress has repeatedly blocked those efforts, keeping the jets in service despite their limited usefulness.
What Will Get Cut?
With nuclear modernization programs, the B-21 Raider, and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter program exempt from cuts, the Air Force may have to delay or reduce other major initiatives.
Experts warn that cutting research and development (R&D) would be a major mistake. The Air Force has already struggled with modernization and can’t afford to fall behind China’s rapidly growing airpower.
Programs like the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and the T-7 Red Hawk trainer could also face reductions, though officials argue these are critical to maintaining combat readiness.
Is the Air Force Shrinking Too Much?
One of the biggest concerns is that the Air Force is not replacing retired aircraft on a one-to-one basis. Over time, this has eroded its overall combat capacity.
“We have yet to find the old car we can sell that will free up enough cash to buy the new one we want,” said Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute.
With growing threats from China and Russia, cutting too deeply into the Air Force’s fleet could weaken U.S. airpower at a time when it needs to be expanding.
Congress Holds the Final Say
Even if the Air Force submits a plan to retire aging aircraft and shift funds, Congress will have the final say. Given past resistance to such efforts, lawmakers may push back against major fleet reductions, forcing the Air Force to look elsewhere for budget cuts.
With Hegseth’s directive looming, the service must now navigate political roadblocks, strategic concerns, and budget constraints to find a path forward. Whether it can succeed in reshaping its fleet—or whether it will once again be stalled by Congress—remains to be seen.
