The Fiscal 2007 defense appropriations bill that passed out of the House earlier this week would provide the Air Force with $2.9 billion to fully fund purchase of 20 F-22A Raptors and another $477 million toward advance procurement of 20 more in 2008. (Read the summary here.) It also includes $2.2 billion for 12 C-17 airlifters, with an additional $789 million for three replacement C-17s. The bill approves $697 million for the C-130J program, along with $90 million for advance procurement, and $4.2 billion for R&D on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. However, appropriators cut one of the five production aircraft USAF had requested, likely of the same mind of authorizers who are leery of program delays and concurrency issues.
New Budget Deal Could Cost USAF Up to $14 Billion
March 12, 2025
The Air Force would suffer the loss of billions of dollars of buying power under a yearlong Continuing Resolution, only somewhat mitigated by proposals that would allow it to pursue new starts, Lt. Gen. Adrian Spain, deputy chief of staff for operations, told the readiness subcommittee of the Senate Armed…