Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne expressed frustration that, despite the Air Force’s best efforts, 183 F-22A Raptors looks like the limit for now. Wynne told reporters Tuesday that it bothers him that the new fighter isn’t going to be built in the needed numbers when “everyone acknowledges that it’s meeting its goals” and performing magnificently. Wynne suggested that it may take some “external force” to shake things up and get a bigger run for the Raptor. He also noted that it’s worth remembering the Soviet motto: “Quantity has a quality all its own.”
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.

