The top two Air Force leaders briefed reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday on some QDR issues, reprising much of what we’ve already reported. (See DR 12/12/05) One exception is that USAF plans to procure a total of 183 new F-22 Raptors, not 185 as we were told earlier. The plan, according to Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, includes keeping the F-22 production line going until 2010. He called it a “national imperative” to keep a fifth generation fighter line warm until the next one (the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter) cranks up.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
