Dwindling Numbers, Part 2: More Older U. S. Military Aircraft Types Are Being Replaced
U. S. Navy E-6B Mercury design has been operational for 36 years.
Story and photos by Ken Kula, except for photos attributed to other companies or DOD employees.
Some of the U. S. military’s 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. More aircraft have been earmarked for retirement as new airframes are completed or planned to be available within a few years. We’ve already covered a handful of types being retired soon (see: https://photorecon.net/dwindling-numbers-u-s-marine-corps-is-retiring-the-av-8b-harrier/ and https://photorecon.net/dwindling-numbers-more-american-military-aircraft-heading-towards-retirement/ ). Here are photos of a dozen more aircraft types which are going, going, (almost gone), along with a photo of their (future) replacements.
USAF MC-12W Liberty
The OA-1K Skyraider II will replace both the MC-12 Liberty and U-28A Draco in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles. The Skyraider II adds fire support and precision strike roles to the ISR capabilities which the MC-12s and U-28s could not carry out.
USAF U-28A Draco
OA-1K Skyraider II. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Fiorilli
USAF E-4B Advanced Airborne Command Post
The 4 aging E-4B AACP Nightwatch aircraft have been operational since 1974 and will be replaced by a new Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) produced by the Sierra Nevada Corporation. No firm details have been released, but one source speculates the total number of new aircraft may reach could reach double digits. Another report questions using Boeing B-747-8 aircraft, but the type has been out of production for at least a year. In any case, the new aircraft are expected to be operational by the year 2036.
Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk
The Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk is being phased out gradually and will be fully retired by 2026. Although a new replacement aircraft has not been named, use of the T-6A Texan II, T-7A Red Hawk and ground based simulators seem to be the next curriculum standard for the Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) program.
USAF Boeing T-7A Red Hawk. Photo by Christian Turner 412th Test Wing
USAF Boeing VC-25A
The U. S. Air Force’s two VC-25A Presidential transports will be replaced by the newer VC-25B. The old B-747-200 series jet will be replaced with a modified B-747-8 version.
USAF VC-25B (Courtesy rendering) Photo by Staff Sgt. Nicolas Erwin Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
USAF Rockwell B-1B Lancer
The Air Force’s B-1B Lancers and B-2A Spirits will be replaced by the new Northrop Grumman B-21A Raider by the year 2040. At least 100 B-21s will be procured, replacing the 40+ year old B-1 Lancers and 20+ years old B-2 Spirits.
USAF Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit
Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider. Photo by Juan Femath Air Force Television Pentagon
USAF Boeing C-32A
The Air Force’s aging C-32As and newer C-40B/Cs will be replaced with the C-40D, a version of the Boeing Business Jet MAX 9. That will bring new economy and capabilities for the Special Air Mission fleet. The C-32A fleet is filled with used civilian airliners first flown during the 1990s while the newer C-40s are still at least 20 years old; however, the new C-40D hasn’t flown yet…
USAF Boeing C-40C
Boeing B-737-MAX9, the future platform for the C-40D
U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury
The New U. S. Navy TACAMO aircraft (Take Charge And Move Out) will be the E-130J, replacing the 30+ year old E-6B Mercury. The old saying about “What goes around, comes around” rings true here… the E-6B replaced the Lockheed EC-130Q TACAMO, and the E-6 will be replaced by a Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 airframe.
U. S. Navy Lockheed Martin E-130J. Photo by Kathy Hieatt Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program Office
Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II
Fewer than 100 of the original 713 Fairchild A-10A (later modified into the -C version) are still flying, and the U. S. Air Force is requesting to retire more to move money into newer aircraft production accounts. The plan is to have the A-10C replaced by a combination of F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-35 Lightning IIs by the year 2028.
USAF General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
U. S. Navy MQ-25A Stingray. U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Boeing
The new MQ-25A Stingray will free up the F-18E Super Hornet from carrier-based air refueling duties. The uncrewed UAV has demonstrated that it can refuel most tactical Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, using a Cobham hose and drogue refueling pod.
U. S. Navy Boeing MQ-25A Stingray with Cobham Airial Refueling Store. Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Roberson
