GAO Says Air Force Needs More to Defend United States

(MoneyWatch)  The GAO released a report saying that the U.S. Air Force neglects the defense of the United States proper to support overseas operations. The Hill reported on a Congressional Hearing into the report. One of the major issues is that the U.S. is trying to buy small quantities of F-22 and F-35 advanced aircraft to replace the F-15 and F-16 fighters currently used. The two older aircraft are facing rapid retirement over the next 20 years. The Air National Guard of the various States are primarily responsible for the fixed wing air defense and they will see their aircraft slowly replaced with newer ones that may require temporary closure of their bases while waiting for the aircraft. Some members of Congress have pushed to reopen the F-15 production line to modernize the fighter force with quantities of a cheaper aircraft, but the Air Force has resisted that idea. Some type of funding will have to be invested to either produce more F-22 to provide the Guard or to keep the older aircraft flying longer while waiting for the F-35. This type of funding may be short in the future.