If all goes well during site inspection this month at a Japanese air base northeast of Tokyo, the US and Japan may agree to install a radar system there for a joint missile defense effort. The missile defense system deployment is part of the recent military realignment agreements between the two countries. (DR 11/01/05)
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.