Congress may prevent the US Air Force from retiring 119 fourth-generation F-15E Strike Eagle fighters despite saving $2.9bn

About a fortnight ago, we wrote that the US Air Force wants to scrap 119 fourth-generation F-15E Strike Eagle fighters. However, the US Congress may prevent it from doing so.

Here's What We Know

The US Air Force has 218 F-15E aircraft in service. The service wants to decommission 119 fighter jets starting in 2025. It also intends to modernise the remaining 99 aircraft. This will save $2.9bn.

Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina has authored an amendment that would prevent the US Air Force from spending money on the F-15E from fiscal year (FY) 2024 to 2029. The senator's state is home to the Strike Eagle fighter wing. The aircraft are based at the US Air Force's Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (Seymour Johnson).

A U.S. Air Force spokesman said the service cannot talk in detail about the plan to retire the F-15Es until President Joe Biden submits a budget to Congress. However, the budget does call for the F-15C/D to be decommissioned in FY2024. While members of Congress are sceptical about the US Air Force's plans to retire the F-15E Strike Eagle, lawmakers are willing to allow the service to retire 57 F-15C Eagle fighters in FY2024.

Getting rid of the 119 F-15E aircraft would save $2.9 billion, which Congress believes is the US Air Force's primary motivation. Lawmakers came to this conclusion after the service declared the F-15C/D unprepared for war with China, but did not do the same for the F-15E.

Source: Defence One