Susanne M. Schafer

Associated Press

This file photo taken, Feb. 18, 2016, shows U.S. Air Force Maj. Kevin Walsh and Associated Press reporter Mark Long take off in one of the U. S. Air Force Thunderbirds' F-16 aircraft in Daytona Beach, Fla. The pilots at the controls of the two F-16 jets that collided over Georgia this week are seasoned combat veterans — and so are the jets they were flying. The planes were built in 1993 and have flown hundreds of combat missions, including the fiery 2003 attack on Baghdad dubbed 'Shock and Awe,' according to commanders of the South Carolina National Guard.

F-16s That Collided Were Built in 1993

Analyst says Air Force is having problems paying for the continual upgrades given the budget constraints Congress has put on Pentagon spending.