U.S. Air force to request more F-22s: air force chief

The US Air Force plans to request more F-22 fighter aircraft than the 183 it has ordered so far, but fewer than it had hoped for, the service's chief of staff said Tuesday amid a growing budget crunch.

General Norton Schwartz said the air force will soon present its plan to US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has expressed reservations about the need for more of the costly, state-of-the-art fighters.

Schwartz said the plan called for "less than 381" fighters, the number the air force has long wanted to acquire.

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