One might ask why not have fewer squadrons of F-22A Raptors, since the total number is now limited to 183? The top civilian for the Air Force told lawmakers that it’s a question of “depth of leadership.” Michael Wynne explained that the service has about three-plus wings of hardware deployed to Southwest Asia, “but we have five wings worth of leadership deployed.” By having seven squadrons of F-22As, said Wynne, the Air Force gains the necessary “depth that we can deploy the airplane and fight with it.”
We looked back on the past 12 months to find the stories that resonated the most with you, our audience, and these 10 topped the list. Maybe you missed one the first time around, or perhaps you’d like to revisit a favorite.