According to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, the mid-air breakup of an F-15 has elevated his “level of concern” and “certainly increased the risk of this whole Tacair [tactical aircraft] plan.” However, Mullen told lawmakers at a May 20 Senate Appropriations defense panel hearing, he has faith in the F-35 program and is “comfortable” with the Bush Administration plan to punt the F-22 decision to the next Administration. Mullen deflected a suggestion by Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) that the Pentagon should buy more legacy fighters—upgraded versions—to bridge USAF’s acknowledged 800-aircraft fighter gap and to sustain a wider industrial base. Mullen said: “I think it’s a matter of choices. We actually don’t have a very good history of upgrading [legacy] airplanes.”
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.