US Air Force refuelling fleet readiness falls short, new report warns

The United States military faces significant challenges in sustaining its forces during potential conflicts, according to two new reports. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study highlights critical vulnerabilities in the US Air Force's aerial refuelling capabilities, a vital component for projecting power across vast distances, especially in the Indo-Pacific.

The GAO report found that the air force's refuelling fleet has persistently fallen short of its availability and mission-capability targets between 2019 and 2025. The watchdog attributed these shortcomings to a combination of factors, including ageing aircraft, shortages of spare parts, complex maintenance procedures, a lack of technical expertise, and delays in deploying advanced tankers. These issues have led to frequent equipment failures, directly impacting the fleet's readiness.

Aerial refuelling tankers are described as a crucial bridge across the ocean, enabling US fighter jets and bombers to reach distant theatres of operation and return. Without a reliable refuelling capability, American air power would be severely limited, raising serious questions about the nation's ability to sustain military operations in a potential conflict with China. The reports underscore a basic, yet critical, question for Washington: can the military reliably fuel, sustain, and connect its forces when needed most?

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The percentage of aerial refuelling tankers that are available and mission capable has remained persistently below the standards that the [US] Air Force established for the fleet.