Congress may restore purchase of F-35
March 21, 2016
Top Air Force acquisitions personnel who went to Capitol Hill on March 8 seemed to find friendly support from Congress for restoring cut F-35 buys to the fiscal year 2017 budget.
The service had delayed purchasing five F-35 Lightning IIs that were set for 2017 – a move the service said would save close to $700 million – and dropping the Air Force’s buy for the year from 48 aircraft down to 43.
Yet despite hammering the Air Force on the A-10 retirement, RD-180 Russian- made rocket engines, and B-21 bomber contract, lawmakers seemed inclined to agree with top brass that delaying F-35 purchases could hurt national security readiness.
