Senate Says No to F-22s

Air-to-air combat just isn't what it used to be. The Senate eliminated increased funding for seven F-22 Raptors Tuesday, saying the purchase of the high-tech jets was unnecessary use of $1.75 billion. The measure passed 58-40 in the Senate, not nearly as close as many expected, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The pro-jet crowd had become a mix of Democrats and Republicans who argued that rejecting the purchase would cause a loss of jobs. Senator John McCain sided with President Obama, arguing that the jets amounted to frivolous spending. "We're not saying the F-22 is not a good aircraft. We're saying it's time to end production," McCain said. A Republican senator argued on the floor that the Chinese government was amassing a powerful air force, and that the U.S. needed to secure it's dominance in the skies. Air combat is nonexistent in Afghanistan, and was very rare in Iraq.