The Senate on Sept. 7 approved a $469.7 billion 2007 defense appropriations bill, including $65.5 billion in supplemental appropriations. The basic total comes to some $9 billion less than the Administration request. As with the House version, the Senate bill fully funds Air Force purchases of 20 F-22As, 12 C-17s, and nine C-130Js. The Senate undercuts the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, delaying production by one year to establish greater design maturity. It would also delay procurement on the Army-Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft to allow time for better requirements definition between the two services. And, like the House, it provides funds to purchase three replacement C-17s. Differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill are to be worked out during conference.
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…