A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment finds the U.S. Air Force is underestimating delays in aircraft maintenance. According to the GAO findings reported by multiple outlets, the Air Force relies on updated “target” dates when tracking maintenance outcomes rather than using original scheduling timelines. This practice can make delays appear smaller than they are, or suggest that little or no delay occurred. In other words, maintenance tracking reflects revised expectations instead of the initial plan, which may obscure the degree to which aircraft spend additional time unavailable for operations. The reporting states that GAO’s review highlights a gap between how delays are measured and how maintenance is actually scheduled and completed. The findings relate to the Air Force’s tracking and reporting methods for aircraft maintenance, rather than disputing that maintenance work is occurring. The GAO’s overall concern is that the current approach can distort visibility into maintenance performance and potentially affect how leaders and oversight bodies understand readiness timelines.