Dwindling Numbers; More American Military Aircraft Heading Towards Retirement
Captions by Ken Kula, Photos by Photorecon.net’s Photography Team
Many of the U. S.’s military aircraft are approaching or have exceeded 50 years of use. As such, the military branches are replacing older airframes with new ones; there are numerous new aircraft types that have recently become operational or are in a flight test phase. New weapons and electronics mean older airframes aren’t needed to carry many cumbersome, older systems either. Thus, many of the older airframes have been retired to the 309 AMARG “boneyard” in recent months. Here are photos of 11 aircraft types which are going, going, (almost gone), along with a photo of their (future) replacements.
Grumman C-2A Greyhounds
US Navy C-2A Greyhound will be replaced by the CMV-22B. The CMV-22B Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) version of the Bell-Boeing Osprey was declared Operational in 2021, but the type was grounded briefly in 2023 through early 2024 as a “material failure” was investigated and mitigated. The C-2A is slated for its sundown in 2026.
Bell-Boeing CMV-22B (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aaron T. Smith)
USAF EC-130H Compass Call
USAF EC-130H Compass Call will be replaced by the EA-37B Compass Call. The venerable Compass Call EC-130s are vintage 1960s airframes. Their replacement will be the EA-37B, based upon the Gulfstream 550 airframe.
New USAF Compass Call EA-37B arrives at Davis-Monthan AFB (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Paige Weldon).
USAF Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS
USAF E-3B/C/G AWACS will be replaced by the Boeing E-7A. The “new” E-7A is already in use with four other countries and has been integrated in multiple Red Flag/Red Flag Alaska exercises.
Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail; the USAF’s new airframes will be similar.
USAF Boeing E-8C Joint Stars
USAF E-8 JSTARS, which will be replaced by the Northrop Grumman U-2R, RQ-4B Global Hawk and other airframes. The on-board radar and other sensors of the JSTARS system will be utilized on a few in-service aircraft, this is a rare case where a new airframe hasn’t been ordered.
An early version of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk
Senior Span antenna-equipped USAF U-2R
USAF KC-10A Extender is an adaptation of the civilian McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 transport.
USAF KC-10A Extender will be replaced by Boeing KC-46As. The tanker offered the means to refuel either a boom- or a hose and drogue-equipped receiver aircraft. The Extender fleet will be fully retired by the end of September 2024. With added wing pods, the KC-46A offers the same flexibility.
New Hampshire Air National Guard KC-46A Pegasus (Ken Kula photo)
Northrop T-38C Talon in special commemorative colors
USAF T-38A/C Talon will be replaced by the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk. Some of the original Northrop T-38s have been upgraded as the -C version, with glass cockpits. The first T-38s began their operational careers in 1961
The T-7A entered production in 2021 and is a joint venture between Boeing and the Saab Group of Sweden. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Javier Cruz)
Beech T-44A Pegasus
USAF T-44A will be replaced with Beech Super King Air 260s The Beech 90 King Air derivative will be replaced by a Super King Air variant. Originally the TC-12B Super King Air training version of the Beech 200 Super King Air was replaced by the T-44A almost a decade ago. Now, the T-44A will be replaced with another Super King Air model
Civilian demonstrator Super King Air 260 aircraft
Bell TH-57C, a training version of the Jet Ranger.
US Navy Bell TH-57C is being replaced by the Leonardo TH-73A Thrasher. The 100th Thrasher has already been delivered to Navy training units.
Leonardo TH-73A Thrasher is a variant of the AW-119 Koala
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, based upon the Bell 212 helicopter
USAF UH-1N Twin Huey will be replaced by the Augusta MH-139 Gray Wolf. The long-serving Twin Huey will be retired from USAF operations which support ICBM silos as well as with the 1st Helicopter Squadron which supports VIP movements in the Washington DC area. The Gry Wolf is an adaptation of the AW-139 civilian helicopter.
The new MH-139A Gray Wolf is now operational, having begun its test flights in 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)
The US Navy now operates only one operational Mine Countermeasure Squadron equipped with the Sikorski MH-53E, down from three squadrons.
US Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon will be replaced with MH-60S, RQ-8B or -C Fire Scout aircraft, plus sea-based equipment. The Navy expects to replace the last MH-53Es in 2025.
Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk: the US Navy lists “anti-surface warfare” and “organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures” as two of its current roles.
The Northrop/Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout (similar in layout to this RQ-8B/C) is an unmanned helicopter already in service.
Pennsylvania Air National Guard EC-130J Commando Solo III
Air National Guard EC-130J Commando Solo III aircraft have been retired without a dedicated follow-on aircraft. The final broadcast from this type was made in 2022, and the three airframes have been de-modified back into C-130Js in 2024 (except with air refuel capabilities). Multiple sources state that palletized mission equipment may be taken aboard MC-130J/MC-130SJ (Special J) aircraft in the future.
