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 TOKYO (AP) - For thousands of workers in Georgia, Texas and California, the question of what aircraft Japan chooses to replace its aging fighter jet fleet could mean their jobs.
Because the U.S. Air Force is scaling back its orders of the stealthy F-22, selling the costly fighter to an ally could be the only way to keep the multibillion dollar producton from ending. Japan — which has expressed interest and is one of the few countries with deep enough pockets — could be the only realistic buyer on the horizon.
Congress repeatedly has banned the sale or license of the F-22 "Raptor" to any foreign government. The latest attempt to repeal that ban was shot down in the Senate earlier this year.
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