The Air Force's aircraft readiness has reached a new low, with only 62% of the fleet able to carry out missions on an average day in fiscal 2024. This is the lowest mission capable rate in recent memory and is a cause for concern as the Air Force's aging fleet of over 5,000 planes becomes increasingly difficult to keep in the air. The lack of major aircraft modernizations and the struggle to find spare parts and maintainers are contributing to the decline in readiness rates. The F-35A, in particular, has experienced reliability and availability issues, with its mission capable rate dropping to 51.5% in 2024.