Sixty-two percent of the U.S. Navy’s fleet of Boeing-built F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft are not operational due to lack of funds to support maintenance and repair work on the fighter jets, Defense News reported Monday.Christopher Cavas writes 35 percent of the fighter planes are still in the waiting process for parts, while 27 percent of the aircraft are in major aviation depot work.
Overall, 53 percent of the Navy’s aircraft that include approximately 1,700 combat planes, helicopters and transport and patrol aircraft are grounded, Cavas reported.
The report said the percentage of selected air crews that refused to take part in the service branch’s department head tours rose from 17 percent in 2013 to 29 percent in 2016.
Navy leaders associated the backlog in aviation maintenance with nine consecutive years of continuing resolutions as a result of Congress’ failure to pass a budget for fiscal year 2017.
