bring_it_on
I really should change my personal text
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My understanding is that these proposals come from the Air Force, not the White House. If they want more money, then it is the legislative branch that controls the purse, not the executive. So I think your post comes with some...strings attached...
I am hearing the exact opposite and have had private conversations with a couple of reporters also chasing this angle and they seem to be in sync with the decision being driven by FYDP and beyond spending and the current SecAF wanting to prioritize F-35A over F-15EX. It has already been reported that Kendall wanted to outright cancel the EX and this was brought up during a 4/27 HASC hearing as well. The AF in its FYDP ramps up F-35A annual procurement as soon as it stops buying F-15EX's and that is also in sync with when the bulk of the Increment 2 F-35 Block IV hardware changes (EW apertures etc) are expected to be cut in and begin testing. So this is very much an admin driven decision..and we should expect the services UPL next year to pehaps even reflect additional long lead funding for FY25 and beyond EX's.
They've already basically cancelled the EX
They haven't "cancelled" the EX in any shape or form. It's still a close to $10 Billion program for ANG fleet modernization. With annual orders being 24 for FY-23, and 24, it gives the Air Force (through UPL) or Congress a good middle ground to get a couple of years of additional procurement funded in FY-25 and 26 which basically gets them very close to the original desired quantity to recap the F-15C fleet.
Unless NGAD is already in EMD and expected to be in LRIP around 2026-2027, I seriously doubt Congress will honor the administrations request to stop buying the F-15EX after FY24. Another 20-40 EX's are probably on the cards beyond the 80 the admin currently wants to have.
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