F/A-22's getting cancelled?

Article below:

U.S. Fighter Jet Could Die to Help Fund War
By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon may have to scrap its premier
fighter jet program to help pay for the war in Iraq, Sen. John McCain,
an influential member of the Armed Services Committee, said on Sunday.

"It's obvious that we're paying a heavy price, I think, for not having
had enough troops there from the beginning," the Arizona Republican
said on NBC's "Meet the Press."





McCain said both the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps must be expanded
overall, a position at odds with President Bush's administration. The
United States has about 135,000 troops in Iraq, a number that McCain
said must rise.

As part of a broad overhaul of U.S. priorities, he said, the Pentagon
may have to scrap the $71 billion Air Force program to buy F/A-22
air-to-air fighters built by Lockheed Martin Corp. .


"We may have to cancel this airplane that's going to cost between $250
million and $300 million a copy," said McCain, floating what could
become a major new legislative hurdle to a top Air Force priority.


McCain led a drive that stalled what has become a $23.5 billion plan
to lease up to 20 and buy up to 80 modified Boeing Co. 767s as mid-air
refueling tankers. The plan is on hold pending reviews due next month
at the Pentagon.


"We've got to change the way we do business and put the priority where
it belongs," McCain said. "And that is making sure that we succeed in
Iraq."


Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, chairman of the Intelligence
committee, said the United States needed more specially trained forces
in Iraq.


"People that are in there have to know what the heck we're doing,"
Roberts said on the CBS program Face the Nation. "If we do have those
troops, yes, let's send them."


The Air Force hopes to buy at least 277 F/A-22 fighters, which it
describes as key to dominating the skies in future combat. It is about
to enter operational testing en route to replacing the F-15C.


Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has resisted calls for any lasting
increase in the U.S. occupation force in Iraq and argued against
permanently boosting the size of U.S. armed forces unless sought by
military commanders themselves.


Last week, Rumsfeld said the Pentagon may postpone the departure of
some troops supposed to be heading home now. The Pentagon originally
had planned to decrease the numbers to about 115,000 in coming months.