Video Above: The US Army Wants the F-35 for Close Air Support
By Kris Osborn – Warrior Maven
(Washington, D.C.) Despite the continued debate about F-35 procurement strategy, costs, 5th-generation technology and force size, the Air Force continues to stand firm in its support for the F-35.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown recently told Congress the very same thing he has said before, with the exact same words …”The F-35 is the cornerstone of our fighter fleet.”
Brown said this in the context of being questioned by members of Congress as to why additional numbers of F-35s were not placed on the “unfunded priority list,” a typical key portion of the military services’ budgets expressing the hope that the mark-up or conference process through which lawmakers finalize the budget may find funding for them.
“The F-35 is the cornerstone of our fighter fleet. Right now, it is the second largest of our fighter fleets inside the United States Air Force. At the same time, it’s a very capable platform. In watching the mission-capable rates, the mission-capable rates for the F-35 are on par with the rest of the fighter fleet,” Brown told Sen. James Inhofe, (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The Air Force budget does ask for 48 F-35s, as part of a broader 85-plane multi-service F-35 buy to include 15 F-35Cs and 17 Marine Corps F-35Bs.
