70% of Marine Corps Hornet Strike Fighters Aren't Ready to Fly

Out of 276 F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters in the Marine Corps inventory, only about 30% are ready to fly, according to statistics provided by the Corps. Similarly, only 42 of 147 heavy-lift CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters are airworthy.

Thirty percent ready to fly is a statistic I would expect from some third-world country, not the United States Marine Corps.

The Marines are the tip of the spear for our armed forces, but that spear is starting to look rusty and dull. You can't have a well-trained fighting force when only 30% of their aircraft are ready to fly.

But hey, we got women on the front lines. That ought even things out, right?