America’s 21st Century fighter gap exposed

Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles fly over Southwest Asia, Feb. 24, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

Golden Dome has captured headlines as America’s next-generation missile defense shield in the debates around the FY 2026 defense budget’s trillion-dollar price tag. But danger lurks between the headlines. America’s fighter fleet – the smallest in modern Air Force history – lacks the numbers needed to both protect the homeland and secure the skies abroad. While no one questions...