Rep. Courtney Amendment To Explore Foreign Sales Of F-22 Wins Place In FY2010 Defense Authorization

Press Release

Congressman Joe Courtney championed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act exploring sales of the F-22 fighter aircraft to Japan. The amendment was passed by the House Armed Services Committee last evening while considering the annual defense spending authorization.

"We have a workforce in Connecticut and across the United States that is ready to produce modified F-22 fighters for Japan, which is very interested in purchasing this capable weapons system," stated Courtney. "This is a common sense amendment that will start a positive process to help our strongest ally in Asia to potentially acquire a plane that Japan has been seeking for many years."

"The U.S.-Japan relationship is one that President Obama has called the ‘cornerstone of East Asian security' and I will enthusiastically work the White House to create a modified version of the F-22 for export to Japan. If we are successful, this may lead to saving jobs and securing our aviation industrial base at no cost to the American taxpayer."

The amendment requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Air Force, to provide Congress in with an evaluation of the potential sale of the F-22 to Japan within 30 days of enactment of the defense budget. The report would detail the cost and feasibility of developing an export version of the aircraft, the strategic implications of providing the aircraft to Japan, and the impact to the aerospace and aviation industry.

Japan has long expressed interest in purchasing 40-60 scaled-down F-22s from the United States. Since 1998, the development of an exportable version of this aircraft has been banned by annual defense appropriations bills.

The FY09 War Supplemental, which was considered on the House floor today, includes language that allows funds to be used for the first time to explore options for an exportable version of the F-22. This is an important opening in pursuing this option.

The FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act must now be passed by the House of Representatives.

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