F-22 RaptorFrom The Hill:
A key House defense authorizer on Thursday predicted that Congress will likely fund as many as 20 more F-22 Raptor fighter jets, despite the Obama administration deciding to put the kibosh on the Lockheed Martin contract after the 187th airplane is delivered.
The renewed fight over Lockheed’s F-22 comes as a surprise at a time when most lawmakers, contractors and the Air Force have all stopped talking about buying more stealthy, radar-evading fighter jets beyond 187.
The final F-22 plane will be delivered by the end of 2011 or early 2012, after which the production line in Marietta, Ga., is slated to close.
But Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), the chairman of the Armed Services Air and Land Forces subcommittee, said at a breakfast with reporters on Thursday that there will likely be support in Congress to buy as many as 20 more planes.
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My Comment: I will make the following prediction .... if the F-35 fails in its performance tests and/or becomes more expensive, expect more F-22s to be produced.