“Indeed, that same day Fulghum quoted another Air Force official, this one identified only as a “senior intelligence officer.”
“The F-35 is not an F‑22 by a long shot,” he told Fulghum, “there’s no way it’s going to penetrate Chinese Air Defenses if there’s ever a clash.”
This should answer your question - when those Chinese air defenses are sold/exported to other countries (like oh maybe I don’t know how ‘bout North Korea or Iran), we will have to ‘negotiate’ with them since we have nothing or nothing in sufficient quantities to get through their defenses - unless as Gates said. “The Air Force must get used to accepting mid to high risk environments.” That is: high losses of planes and pilots.
Naturally, any ‘negotiations’ will end up with the US apologizing and conceding something of great value, like oh let’s say for example, its SOVERENTY! A great idea that the communists like Hussein & Co have fought for since the 1930’s.
So, no, of course, they will not rescind the Obey Amendment - he’s a dem after all and that would set a bad precedent.
Further, it would make our once-upon-a-time allies stronger rather than weaker. Such sales to our once-upon-a-time allies would not only prove the tech, and make the F22 not only the world’s only production 5the gen fighter, but the cheapest as well.
Better to have a plane like the F35 under development and always in the wings to keep the public at bay while quietly destroying the USAF.
Boing Boing is not fighting for the contract to produce more F22s, because for one, they have existential problems that have to be solved first.
Where did Gates say that (not questioning you, it’s just that my son is one of those AF pilots who will I guess have to “get used to accepting mid to high risk environments)?
If he said it, Gates is a m***-***ing SOB.