Air Force leaders say Raptor still in plans

Published: Feb 19, 2005
Source: www.dfw.com



ORLANDO, Fla. - Senior Air Force leaders promised Thursday that they would continue arguing to buy more of Lockheed Martin's F/A-22 Raptor fighter jets even if Congress signs off on proposed budget cuts this year.

Acting Air Force Secretary Peter Teets said the argument about how many F/A-22s the service needs will be continued in the Pentagon's upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review, a planning process conducted every four years aimed at making sure defense strategies and weapons procurement are aligned to meet future national security threats.

Speaking at a meeting of the Air Force Association in Orlando, Teets said he was encouraged after a recent meeting with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld, Teets said, "understands there's no question about the need for the F/A-22, the question is how many."continue..