A Senate amendment to save the Air Force’s planned multiyear procurement for the F-22A Raptor passed Thursday—by a 70 to 28 vote. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) proposed the amendment (see below), which would authorize the Air Force to enter into a multiyear contract, beginning in Fiscal 2007, for no more than 60 F-22s, but it specifically prohibits the service from implementing an incremental funding plan. The House also would prohibit an incremental buy and wants justification before approving a multiyear approach.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.