The Correct Call by Congress -- More F-22 Raptors

Thank God for Gen Corley's wake-up call to Congress! Somebody other than AFA leader, Mike Dunn, finally stood up to Gates and told the truth. Where are his "silent' wingmen? Where is Mike Ryan? Where is John Jumper? Where is Joe Ralston and Dick Myers and Ron Fogelman? Forget about how it will affect the future of your high-paying consulting jobs and stand up NOW for your USAF and say the things publicly that you already say at those cocktail parties and board meetings around DC.

There is no iota of a doubt that the AF needs more F-22s.. 60 more at a minimum. SecAF Donley knows this BUT has bent over backwards to remain loyal (read "Yes Man") to Gates. That would be the same Gates who said publicly that he would listen to the new AF leadership on the F-22--after he fired the old SECAF/CSAF team for refusing to shut up over unfulfilled combat requirements--then that man Gates would not even take the AF's classified briefing on F-22 combat requirements in over 4 months of so-called deliberating. Then whom did Gates get his analysis from? From F-22-hating Gordon England and John Young, who loved whatever seems "good enough" and have no classified analysis whatsoever to back up their decision to terminate the F-22 at 183. Now because of a cheap-trick to buy 4 more in a Supplemental Defense bill, 187 still puts the AF's near-to-mid term control of Joint airspace at dire risk..

Congress needs to bring in the Combatant Air Commanders and ask them what every Captain through Lt Col "out on the front of the AF spear" already knows and what I've heard from scores of them: "We can't execute the joint plans without more F-22s." To ignore that reality either ignores the real threat or engages in dangerous and wishful thinking.

Ask yourself this: Why did EVERY one of the Joint Chiefs UNANIMOUSLY non-concur with Gates new Defense Strategy last summer? Because they know first-hand how bloodily HIGH RISK will play out on the future battelfields, while Gates builds a force solely for today's COIN wars. Anyone else seeing visions of Polish cavalry attacking German machine guns at the start of WW2.

The sad thing is that CSAF Schwartz has totally lost his nerve in standing up for what is RIGHT and what the combat leadership of the AF needs. ACC, PACAF, CENTAF and USAFE leaders know it and future warriors have been "sold down the proverbial (future threat) river"--and now the young AF Captains and Lts are beginning to smell BAD LEADERSHIP. Schwartz is becoming the "Yes Man" he swore his whole life that he would never, ever be. I know, because I've worked for Gen Schwartz on/off for over 10 years. THAT Gen Schwartz listened to Gen Corley and said to Gates/Donley: "243 is the military requirement for F-22." CJCS Admiral Mullen heard it and repeated it. So Gates' story of unanimity of military advice that he got on shutting down the F-22 line at 187 is nothing but the fantasy of a man who runs DoD like a prison ship.