[snip]

The $369 million would buy advance procurement parts to begin production on a dozen new fighters. Ultimately, the planes would cost about $2.8 billion.

The advance procurement money would be taken from funds budgeted for Energy Department cleanups at nuclear weapons sites, a House aide said.

The $369 million would be a down payment on 12 new planes to be procured in fiscal year 2011 (aka next calendar year). Including this advanced procurement funding does not mean the planes will be bought - indeed, advanced F-22 procurement dollars were approved last year but HASC redirected them to F-22 modifications in FY 2010 - but it sure makes it easier. If the advanced procurement dollars pass, lawmakers will be able to say they already sunk money into the buy and that it therefore should go forward in FY 2011 so the money isn't wasted.

HASC did well to beat back attempts to restore funding for missile defense programs that don't work. It also pumped up nonproliferation dollars. But this F-22 stuff is smoke-filled, backroom hijinks. I don't think the roll call is available yet showing how members voted on the F-22 amendment, but I'll post it when I see it.

Which Democrat will have the courage to offer a floor amendment (likely next week) to knock out the extra F-22 money? Can that Democrat find a Republican friend who takes fiscal responsibility seriously even when it comes to defense?

POGO and Defense Tech have more.

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