Sen. John McCain's proposed Pentagon blueprint to hike the U.S. military budget would boost Air Force modernization spending by $55 billion between fiscal years 2018 and 2022 compared to the Defense Department's current forecast, including $11 billion for accelerated Joint Strike Fighter procurement and an additional $7.6 billion for a new penetrating counter-air capability. McCain's recommendations, outlined in a 33-page white paper published Jan. 16, argue that the Air Force requires significant increases immediately because "U.S. air dominance is no...
