Air Force F-22 Fighter Program: Background and Issues for Congress
Abstract
The Air Force F-22 fighter, also known as the Raptor, is the world's most capable air-to-air combat aircraft. Procurement of F-22s began in FY1999, and a total of 187 have been procured through FY2009, including 24 in FY2009. The administration wants to end F-22 procurement at 187 aircraft, and the administration's proposed FY2010 budget does not request funding for the procurement of additional F-22s in FY2010. The administration argues, among other things, that 187 F-22s will be sufficient in conjunction with other U.S. tactical aircraft, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), to meet operational demands for U.S. tactical aircraft. Supporters of the F-22 want to continue procuring the aircraft in FY2010 and subsequent years. They argue, among other things, that Air Force officials have stated that 243 to 250 F-22s would be needed to meet operational demands at a moderate level of operational risk. The issue of F-22 procurement has emerged as one of the highest-profile items of debate on the FY2010 defense budget. The White House on July 13 vowed to veto any bill that supports the acquisition of F-22s beyond the 187 that have been procured through FY2009. The issue for Congress is whether to approve the administration's request to end F-22 procurement at 187 aircraft, or reject that proposal and provide funding in FY2010 for the procurement of additional F-22s in FY2010 and/or subsequent years. Additional issues for Congress for the F-22 program include the reliability and maintainability of in-service F-22s, the F-22 modernization program, and the potential sale of F-22s to Japan. On July 16, 2009, Representative John Murtha, the chairman of the Defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, issued a press release stating that the subcommittee had completed its markup of the FY2010 defense appropriations bill and that the bill as marked includes an additional $369 in advance procurement funding for the procurement of 12 F-22s.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 16, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA502677
Entities
People
- Ronald O'Rourke
Organizations
- Library of Congress