Here’s what McCain said on the Senate floor: “I oppose the amendment. There has been a mobility capabilities study, which indicates that we have an acceptable number for this capability. We are looking at cuts in defense spending, and there are a lot of tremendous cost overruns. We are looking at rapidly escalating procurement costs. These additional aircraft are not needed. They are not needed today.” The study to which he refers, viewed by many insiders as being highly suspect, said we could get by with 180 C-17s. Maybe McCain knows something not yet vouchsafed to retired Gen. John Handy, who, as commander of Air Mobility Command, declared repeatedly the he needed a minimum of 222 C-17s in order to execute the air mobility mission.
The U.S. military is carrying out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions along the southern border and off the coast of Mexico using U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint and U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft as part of the Pentagon’s effort to secure the southern border at the direction of President…