Two F-22 Raptors fly over the Pacific Ocean during a theater security mission. A Royal Australian Air Force pilot assigned to the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, has had the opportunity to fly the F-22 Raptor as part of a pilot-exchange program. Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald / Air ForceFrom DoD Buzz:
Utter the term ITAR here at the Paris Show and both Europeans and Americans often cringe. The Europeans know it as the set of regulations that make it incredibly challenging for them to buy American weapon systems, no matter how close they are to the administration in charge. The Americans know it as a never-ending headache that makes foreign sales cumbersome and slow — at best — and can easily lead to a silent no from the State Department, which oversees the regulations.
The Obama administration talks often and often convincingly about partnerships with allies and their tremendous importance to US national security interests. As Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of Defense for policy, put it in her recent QDR remarks, “allies and partners are absolutely essential.”
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My Comment: when a close ally like Japan cannot buy the F-22 (a jet that is being discontinued) because of restrictions .... you know that there is a problem.
Update: Senator proposes exporting F-22 to allies -- Air Force Times