Only 45 Percent Of Marine Corps' Aircraft Ready To Fly

Just 45 percent of the Marine Corps' aircraft are ready to fly, the Washington Examiner reported.

The assessment comes from Lt. General Gary Thomas, the deputy commandant for programs and resources.

While Marine Corps readiness is on the upswing, Thomas told Congress the aviation unit is "still much lower than we would like."

"That's pretty abysmal," said Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee.

The Marine Corps is still far short of its goal of having 75 percent of its aircraft ready to go, said the Examiner, noting some will always out of service because of routine maintenance.

And Thomas said the low number of aircraft ready to fly is mostly due to planes and helicopters exceeding their planned service life.

President Donald Trump has called for a $603 billion defense budget to strengthen America's military, The Hill reported.

But some experts are questioning whether the budget -- $54 billion above the current cap -- is enough. They claim $640 billion is needed, the website reported.

• Trump Promotes Upping Defense Budget in Weekly Address
• Marine Plane Crash: Pilot Missing After Ejecting Off Japan Coast