Aujourd'hui, l'armée de l'air américaine doit faire face au vieillissement physique du parc et à l'impossibilité d'une modernisation à court terme en raison d'erreurs dans le choix du concept de l'armée de l'air et donc de la conception de nouveaux avions.
Ainsi, ces dernières années, le parc d'aviation tactique des USA s'est rapidement réduit. Les avions F-117 (l'avion tactique le plus moderne à l'époque après le F-22) ont été retirés du service fin 2008, officiellement par manque de financement. En réalité, l'avion était voué à disparaître après la campagne du Kosovo où un chasseur furtif avait été abattu par le missile sol-air S-125, pourtant considéré comme obsolète.
 
 

The FA has also reported a substantial increase in its surface strike capabilities thanks to the large deliveries of new-build true multi-role tactical fighters, capable of deploying guided air-to-surface munitions such as the Su-30M2, Su-30SM and Su-35S, with an additional quantity of Su-27SM3s, MiG-29SMTs and MiG-35s expected in the near future. There is, however, still a shortage of modern precision-guided air-to-surface munitions in the RuAF inventory. Moreover, there is a lack of certain state-of-the-art munitions such as the precisionguided air-launched stand-off missiles (in class of MBDA Storm Shadow and the Raytheon AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon) and the satellite-guided bombs. Even though such bombs are said to have successfully been tested by the Russian military, demonstrating good precision target engagement capabilities. The FA tactical fighters still lack modern reconnaissance
and targeting pods vital for detection, visual identification and engagement of ground targets from extended ranges, day and night, such as those integrated on all new Western-made tactical jets in the late 1990s and early-2000s.

In mid-2015, the active fleet of the four FA sub-branches was estimated at 800-plus combat jets, grouped in 52 or 53 frontline and seven operational conversion and combat training squadrons, two squadron-sized air display teams and one independent attack flight or squadron stationed abroad. This figure comprised around 100 MiG-29/UBs, 34 MiG-29SMT/ UBTs, 130-plus MiG-31BM/BSM/DZs, 70-plus Su-27/UBs, 65 Su-27SM/SM3s, 16 Su-30M2s, 34 Su-30SMs, 34 Su-35S’, 61 Su-34s, 60 Su-24M/M2s, 60 Su-24MRs, 80 Su-25SMs and 60 Su-25/UBs.
The availability rate is reported to have been maintained at between 70% and 75% for the majority of the legacy types, while the average fleet age is about ten years.

The existing fleet of 53 upgraded Su-27SMs (55 were upgraded and two were lost in flight accidents) was taken on strength between
2003 and 2009, equipping four frontline squadrons while five examples are operated by one squadron of the 968th IISAP (instructor-research
composite aviation regiment) assigned to the Lipetsk-based combat training centre. The upgraded Flanker fleet, with an average age of 25 years,
was then complemented by 12 newly built and further improved Su-27SM3s taken on strength in 2011. The upgraded SMs were handed over to the 23rd IAP (fighter regiment) at Dzemgi and the 22nd Guards IAP at Tsentralnaya Uglovaya in Russia’s Far East. A dozen new-build SM3s were delivered to re-equipone of the two fighter squadrons assigned to the 1st Aviation Group of the 6972nd Air Base (AB) stationed at Krymsk in the south of the country. This unit was reformed in December 2013 as the 3rd Guards SAP (composite aviation regiment), reverting back to the structure and numberplate it had prior to December 2009. There is an ongoing initiative for upgrading 36 existing Su-27Ps to the enhanced Su-27SM3 standard, boasting a new avionics suite identical to those newly built in 2011. This undertaking was converted into a firm contract in mid-2015 and covers enough to equip three frontline squadrons. The upgrade is to be performed at KnAAZ plant in Komsomolskon- Amur between 2016 and 2020.  
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The two-seat Su-30SM is a derivative of the export Su-30MKI/MKM model featuring a partial Russian avionics suite replacing the Indian- and Israeli-made systems on board, including the radar, the communication suite, the IFF and the ejection seats. Modifications were also made to the aircraft’s weapons suite in order to be made capable of deploying all new Russian precision-guided air-to-surface weapons. The Su-30SM, however, retained most if not all of its advanced French-made avionics including the VEH3000 holographic HUD (this is set to be replaced on the aircraft built in 2015 by the Russian-made IKSh-1M HUD borrowed from the Su-35S) and the highly accurate Sigma 95 navigation system

As of January 2015, 14 Su-35S’ were dedicated to various testing and evaluation efforts carried out at Lipetsk combat training centre and RuASF’s 929th GLITs. There were hints in the Russian press last year that the Su-35S has been suffering from numerous technical issues caused by its new and advanced flight/navigation and mission avionics. As a consequence, the Su-35S fleet has been a subject of continuous modifications undertaken at KnAAZ in order to be brought to a combat-ready status, with official commissioning into service of the type as a combat-capable air system is planned for this year. This was announced on February 3, by Russia’s defence minister, Army Gen Shoigu, when he told the Russian press the Su-35S had so far been inducted only in the so-called experimental operation with the RuASF. He revealed its commissioning into service should happen only after rectifying the shortcomings and deficiencies revealed during the type’s joint state flight testing effort, undertaken by the RuASF’s 929th flight test centre at Akhtubinsk. The aircraft is not yet fully compliant with the RuASF specification and making it so should be an important task for this year.

The MiG-29 Fulcrum is serving with the FA in diminishing numbers and its importance and real-world operational value has been
dwindling since the late 2000s. This process began soon after the discovery of severe fin cracks in 2009 that had affected the majority of the ageing Fulcrums. Another blow, suffered by the RuASF Fulcrum fleet is related to the decision not to proceed with its mid-life upgrade to the MiG-
29SMT standard. Currently the legacy Fulcrum suffers from low availability rates and is in a process of a gradual replacement with
newer Flanker derivatives in the FA frontline squadrons. Nevertheless it will continue its service with the RuASF for a while, mostly
assigned to the combat training and air display role.

The FA also has on strength a two-squadron fighter regiment of new-generation, multi-role Fulcrums; in 2009 and 2010 the 14th Guards IAP at Kursk-Khalino took the majority of 28 MiG-29SMTs and six MiG-29UBTs originally built for the Algerian Air Force under an order placed in 2006. In the event, Algeria rejected all of these Fulcrums following the discovery that some of the equipment of the aircraft delivered in 2008 and 2009 was second hand. According to the delivery contract, the Algerian MiG-29SMTS were to be second-hand airframes fitted with all-new avionics and equipment, which violated the contract.

The first Su-35 prototype, converted from a Su-27, made its maiden flight in June 1988. More than a dozen of these were built, some of which were used by the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team. The first Su-35 design was later modified into the Su-37, which possessed thrust vectoring engines and was used as a technology demonstrator. A sole Su-35UB two-seat trainer was built in the late 1990s that strongly resembled the Su-30MK family.

In 2003, Sukhoi embarked on a second modernization of the Su-27 to produce what the company calls a 4++ generation fighter that would bridge the gap between legacy fighters and the upcoming fifth-generation Sukhoi PAK FA. This derivative, while omitting the canards and air brake, incorporates a reinforced airframe, improved avionics and radar, thrust-vectoring engines, and a reduced frontal radar signature.