On Tuesday morning, the full Senate voted to accept the Levin-McCain amendment to cut $1.75 billion Senate defense authorizers had added to the 2010 defense policy bill to keep F-22 production running beyond 187 Raptors. The vote was 58 to 40. That, of course, is not the end for F-22 proponents. Last month, the full House approved its version of the defense policy bill, complete with funding for additional F-22s. The House and Senate now will have to work it out in conference. Stay tuned.
Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held meetings with defense leaders from the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea during a trip to the Indo-Pacific this week.