Heightened Ops Tempo, Lack Of Pilots Seen Hurting Air Force

The Russian air force's expanded operations appears to be a key factor that is pushing its aging fleet to its limits, reports Defense News.

Five different aircraft crashed in the last month, including two MiG-29 fighters, an Su-24 and Su-34 strike aircraft and a Tu-95 bomber, part of a trend of aviation failures attributed to age and insufficient sustainment.

The crashes stem from an overuse of old aircraft and a lack of qualified pilots, according to an unnamed Russian...