National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007 -- (Senate - June 22, 2006)

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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, the Chambliss amendment will remove the prohibition on multiyear contract authority for the purchase of the F-22A aircraft and in so doing give the DOD the flexibility it needs to purchase 60 F-22A aircraft over a 3-year period in installments of 20.

The multiyear contract will save the Government, as has been noted by Senator Isakson, over $200 million over the 3-year period and allow for a rational and steady flow of F-22s.

Mr. President, I also want to note one thing about the GAO study that has been referenced here today and the funding for the F-22A. The statement is made in the GAO study that the funding for the F-22 could be better spent on fighting the war on terror. The problem with that is it assumes that America faces threats from only irregular forces or subnational groups.

North Korea's threat to launch a multistage missile that can hit Hawaii, Iranian nuclear ambitions, and the expansion and modernization of the Chinese military are patent examples of substantial threats from independent nation states.

The air superiority gap America once enjoyed has dramatically closed. The F-15, F-16, or F-18 are no longer without competition on the world stage. Since the late 1970s, for example, the Russian Air Force has been continually improving its air fleet. Planes like the MiG-29, Su-27, Su-35, and the addition of the Su-37 super-flanker have evened the playing field. The Chinese are now making their own version of the Su-27 under the designation J-11. Both Russia and China are eyeing foreign buyers for these formidable aircraft.

Further technology and modern air defenses have grown significantly, and Legacy aircraft are vulnerable to increased anti-aircraft threats and technology.

Congressional inaction on this matter is creating a situation where American pilots will be flying aging Legacy aircraft against comparable enemy aircraft.

DOD states that the F-22As as fifth-generation fighters is needed to neutralize advanced air defenses, thus opening the door for follow-on joint forces to include nonstealthy Legacy aircraft and long-range strike capabilities.

We need the F-22. The QDR supports this notion. The QDR focuses on the ability to quickly and effectively penetrate enemy airspace and exploit stealth and electronic warfare capabilities. The F-22A excels at all these missions and helps America take a step ahead against emerging technologies and threats we face.

Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support the Chambliss amendment and allow the Air Force to move forward in a way that will enable us to save the taxpayers money and to meet the needs that we face for this country as we go forward.

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