Lawmakers who take opposite views on the need for the F-22 Raptor agreed on one thing during Thursday’s Center for Strategic and International Studies program on tactical aviation issues—the decision to limit the buy to 187 aircraft appears devoid of strategic analysis. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), in whose state the F-22 is assembled, agreed with two retired military aviators (see above), saying the cuts were “purely budget-driven choices made without any analysis of the risk” to national strategy. Even Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), an F-22 critic, said he was dismayed that “the strategic template for ‘why?’ was missing” from the April 6 announcements.
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…