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Air Force need for F-35s is under review

CongressDaily June 3, 2009

Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz on Wednesday signaled that the service's requirement for 1,763 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters is being examined during the comprehensive Quadrennial Defense Review now under way.

Whether the Air Force ultimately buys more or fewer F-35s than planned depends on that review of military capabilities and requirements, the four-star general told the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Indeed, the Air Force's plan to field a total of 2,250 fighters, both old and new, is also under review, according to Schwartz.

"It could end up being less," he said, adding, "if that's the case, we will still have a predominately F-35" force.

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Still, Schwartz said he expects to have "well over" 1,500 F-35s.

Also on Wednesday, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said he is hopeful the Pentagon will have a new request for proposals for its next fleet of aerial refueling tankers ready by this summer. Donley also said the Defense Department had not decided whether the Air Force or the Pentagon would manage the competitive bidding process.

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  • Donald, The F-35 is NOT a stealth aircraft. Whoever told you this was lying. The F-35 is a regular aircraft with limited frontal stealth characteristics. Even then, head-on it is 10x more visible then the F-22. It's lack of engine power is also shocking. It truly is the Joint Strike Failure. Pilots flying it are sitting ducks. Flanker bait. Twan Hendriks Posted June 6, 2009 4:33 AM
  • Never liked the idea of the JSF. The idea seems to be that you're replacing the Harrier, the Strike Eagle, the Warthog and the Hornet with one aircraft, and that just ain't gonna work. I understand the costs involved for maintenance, operational capabilities and flexibility on the battlefield, but the "One size fits all" approach to a warfighting aircraft doesn't make sense. Besides, if I'm understanding this right, the JSF isn't supposed to be a deep-strike platform, to stealth (or something resembling it) shouldn't be a necessary consideration in the F-35...isn't that what the F/A-22 is supposed to be for, and the F-117 before it? Or has the Attack designation been stripped from the Raptor? I don't like the cost of the Raptor at all, but I'm betting the capabilities of that aircraft far exceed those of the Lightning II. Besides, especially in the CAS role, just how are you going to replace that awesome GAU-8 Avenger nose cannon that the A-10 is built around? I REALLY hope DoD knows what it's doing with the JSF. Tigerhawk Posted June 5, 2009 4:45 PM
  • The new Russia MIG that is already being produced is a far superior aircraft. What the AF wants and needs is the F22. Lets face it the F35 is another F4 that won't cut it dan m ketter Posted June 5, 2009 9:27 AM
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