America’s flying fortress, the Cold War-era B-52 bomber, has been in service for the last 50 years, running missions in Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Afghanistan and the war in Iraq. It’s a striking example of how America’s military is being forced to do more with less, relying on decades-old technology to confront today’s challenges. Unfortunately, the B-52 is only one example of the United States’ geriatric fighting force, and with mounting cuts to the military, America’s ability to defend itself is increasingly called into question.
In a new “America at Risk” video from The Heritage Foundation, David A. Deptula, a retired three-star general, gives his view of America’s aging Air Force. It’s a story he has experienced first hand. Deptula flew an F-15 for the first time in 1977, and 30 years later, his son, Lt. David A. Deptula II, flew the same F-15 at Kadena Air Force Base in Japan. The fighter, which was initially planned to have a 4,000-hour service life, later saw its mission extended to 8,000 hours. Heritage’s Rob Bluey reports on one harrowing incident where Deptula came face to face with the consequences of stretching U.S. forces to their limits:
While serving as the joint task force commander in 1998 and 1999 for Operation Northern Watch, Deptula flew 82 combat missions over Iraq. On one mission, as he was headed to a tanker to refuel, the master caution light came on, revealing a problem with the plane. His fuel gauge went to zero. Meanwhile, he was 500 miles away from his base. Fortunately, he was able to land safely.
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