“The perception I think that's out there is that we're maintaining, if not advancing, our military advantage in propulsion," said John Sneden, director of the Air Force's propulsion directorate. “But the reality is . we're essentially stagnating, and we're starting to lose.”
According to two sources with knowledge of the matter, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall had tasked the service’s budget corps to consider cancelling the F-15EX. Instead, it will receive a plus-up in the FY23 request.