The Air Force would like to buy a total of 13,802 bombs and missiles in Fiscal 2011. This includes 7,540 munitions in its baseline budget and another 6,262 pieces in its overseas contingency operations (OCO) request. The combined total includes 9,331 joint direct attack munitions (including 5,831 in the OCO), 2,985 small diameter bombs, 891 Hellfire attack missiles (431 in OCO), 246 AIM-120D advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, 178 AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, and 171 JASSM cruise missiles. By comparison, the service is procuring 11,354 munitions this fiscal year, including 4,487 with Fiscal 2010 OCO dollars.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…