A program of rec
ord to buy 187 F-22s will actually leave the Air Force with 186 Raptors when the production run is complete after factoring F-22 losses to date, the service tells the Daily Report. The most recent crash of an F-22 in March at Edwards AFB, Calif., involved a test aircraft that was “not part of the official program of record,” according to Air Force spokeswoman Karen Platt. (That crash took the life of Lockheed Martin test pilot David Cooley.) Conversely, the non-fatal crash of an F-22 at Nellis AFB, Nev., in December 2004, did involve a Raptor that was a part of the program of record. The net loss to the program of record is one. “Therefore, the fleet will be 186 aircraft when complete,” said Platt.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.