What happens when you cut the Air Force's pet program

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Monday, June 1, 2009 - 12:36 PM Share

Defense Secretary Gates's aircraft starts having mechanical problems when he is on the far side of the planet. Hmm.

"You say you need to be in Manila tonight, Mr. Secretary? Wow, tough deadline. Now, about those F-22s..."

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TOM RICKS

12:16 AM ET

June 2, 2009

Pentagon view

Just fyi, Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon spokesman, has asked me to note that, in his view, Gates hasn't cut the program. "SecDef is not cutting the program at all. In fact, he is growing it by 4 to 187."

Of course, I can remember when the planned buy was a multiple of that.

 

TOM RICKS

12:17 AM ET

June 2, 2009

Pentagon view

Just fyi, Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon spokesman, has asked me to note that, in his view, Gates hasn't cut the program. "SecDef is not cutting the program at all. In fact, he is growing it by 4 to 187."

Of course, I can remember when the planned buy was a multiple of that.

 

ANDY

10:39 AM ET

June 2, 2009

Oh please, Tom! I realize

Oh please, Tom! I realize this is probably an attempt at humor, but this kind of conspiracy-mongering is pretty weak and unnecessary. There are already people out there who believe the Air Force purposely sabotaged that Guard F-15 that broke apart last year in order to justify the F-22. There are others who consider the Air Force unconstitutional because the service isn't mentioned in our founding documents. Please don't go down that road.

 

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military for the Washington Post from 2000 through 2008.

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