Securing America: Air Force Fighters Grounded

There’s a big blow to combat readiness for the U.S. Air Force, thanks to sequestration budget cuts.

FOX News Radio’s Rich Johnson reports from Washington in our ongoing series on national security:

Securing America.

As they come off deployment to hot spots like Afghanistan, a lot of planes will stop flying.

(Lt. Col. Sholtis) “We’re beginning to stand down a number of active duty air combat units.”

About 1/3 of the Air Force’s fighters, bombers and AWACS planes will be grounded, according to Lt. Col. Tadd Sholtis at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia.

(Lt. Col. Sholtis) “We’re accepting some risk that, you know, additional air power might not be ready to respond immediately.”

But the groundings will give Air Force mechanics the opportunity to clean up a backlog of inspections and maintenance.

In Washington, Rich Johnson, FOX News Radio.