The U.S. Air Force recently outlined progress under its “Polaris Readiness Plan,” which covers 76 B-52H and 45 B-1B strategic bombers. The initiative aims to improve maintenance efficiency by reorganizing logistics and supply-chain operations. However, salvaging parts from retired aircraft offers only temporary relief from shortages and may prove inadequate during prolonged, high-intensity conflict.
Years of global deployments have placed mounting pressure on aging equipment across the U.S. military. The Navy’s aircraft carrier fleet faces particularly acute challenges. Several Nimitz-class carriers have served for more than 40 years, contributing to recurring maintenance problems and growing repair backlogs. Meanwhile, the newer Ford-class carriers continue to face reliability issues with electromagnetic catapults and arresting gear. Extended maintenance periods have limited the number of carriers readily available for deployment to fewer than four. Meanwhile, prolonged operations accelerate equipment wear and further increase maintenance demands.
Other major weapons systems face similar difficulties. The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile fleet has exceeded its originally intended service life, while its replacement program has progressed slowly. Aging Ohio-class strategic nuclear submarines and delays in building their Columbia-class successors add to the pressure. The Air Force’s airborne early-warning and aerial refueling fleets also contain aging aircraft with increasing structural maintenance requirements.
These challenges are compounded by weaknesses in the U.S. defense industrial base. Shrinking domestic manufacturing capacity, fragmented supply chains, limited production of critical components, and a reduced pool of major contractors constrain the industry’s ability to produce new weapons while maintaining existing systems.
The Polaris Readiness Plan cannot reverse the broader erosion of U.S. military readiness on its own.
Source: People’s Daily, October 28, 2026
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2026/1028/c1011-40823166.html