Senators call on Trump to fully fund F-35

Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Susan Collins (R-ME), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have sent a letter to President Trump urging him to support the current funding schedule for the F-35 as opposed to investing in what they call the "outdated, fourth-generation F-15X."

"We are extremely concerned that, over the last few years, the [Defense Department] has underfunded the F-35 Program and relied on Congress to fund increases in production, sustainment, and modernization," the letter states. "In order to meet the overmatch and lethality goals laid out in the National Security Strategy, the DOD needs to make these investments in the F-35 to affordably deliver and operate this fifth-generation fighter fleet. The F-35 is the most affordable, lethal, and survivable air dominance fighter, and now is the time to double down on the program."

"In order to ensure the United States servicemembers are equipped with the most lethal aircraft capable of operating in the modern battlefield, we request your support and the support of the DOD in investing our defense funds in proven fifth-generation technology -- like the F-35 -- rather than technology that will be outdated before it even rolls off the production line," the senators write.

Read the full letter here.