The aerospace industry isn’t a “fat cat” and shouldn’t be targeted for tax hikes and cutbacks, Aerospace Industries Association president Marion Blakey said Wednesday. Speaking at an industry lunch in Washington, D.C., she claimed that the “top five companies combined” in the US aerospace sector “are one-half the size of Wal-Mart” in terms of sales, and argued that the industry shouldn’t be disproportionately targeted for “inappropriate” budget cuts. The huge positive contribution that aerospace makes to the nation’s balance of trade suggests that the industry should be allowed to continue to offer its share of “prosperity” to American workers, she said. Foreign military sales “will contract if we’re forced to close production lines,” Blakey asserted.
USAF to Start Rotating Fighters to Misawa
May 12, 2025
The Air Force will rotate fighters through Misawa AB, Japan starting this summer to bridge the gap between the F-16 drawdown and the F-35 delivery, expected to start in Spring 2026. The rotation of fighter squadrons will continue until the base's new f-35 fleet achieves full operational readiness.