Gordon England, the acting Deputy Defense Secretary, has ordered yet another review of US fighter programs. His Aug. 4 memo to top officials directed an independent review to “identify and develop, as appropriate, new operating concepts to optimize the employment of joint tactical aviation.” In other words, stand by for cuts to USAF’s F/A-22, the Navy’s F/A-18E/F, or the joint service F-35—or all three. As Navy Secretary in 2002, England also “reviewed” the daylights out of Navy and Marine Corps aviation, imposing major cuts on both.
In order to deny China “sanctuaries” from which it can launch air and missile salvos during a potential invasion of Taiwan, the U.S. Air Force needs to buy far more B-21 bombers and F-47 fighters than currently planned, according to a new report from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
