BRAC squabbling pushed Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) temporarily to table the annual defense authorization bill. It’s resurrection is more uncertain every day. The Hill reports that the measure will not surface on the Senate floor until Oct. 1, or later, prompting Capitol Hill staffers to predict a continuing resolution before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.
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.