Fail

I imagine, if there might be a later need for the aircraft, then production might start again; like if there's a war or an arms race. And the USAF will still have around 180 F-22s till then.

Please keep this about the AIRCRAFT and not the politics or the keys will come out.
Thank You

F-22 : $137.5 million per plane


F-35 : $83 million per plane


source: wiki

President Obama
Quote:

And yet he goes and spends 10 times that on this crazy thing to get out of this recession!!!!!
Please tell me what you think about this horrible thing that has prevented the production of 7 of these beautiful jets!!!!

P.S.

Please

don't ban me admins, this is not about the politics, it is about the jets.

Isak922 wrote on Jul 21^st, 2009 at 4:18pm:

I agree 100%, this nation needs the F-22 for national defense. And if a war does break out betwwn the US and China or Russia we can't get the F-22 back into production fast enough to combat the Russian or Chinese threat!!! And 180 F-22s is not enough to defeat 1,500+ Russian air superiority fighters, multirole fighters, bombers, and attack aircraft!
And the F-22 is SOO superior to the F-35!!!
And I hope the admins don't see this, but Just another reason to dislike Obama! *SHHH*

No offense raptor, but you need to go check the facts as well.
The USAF alone has almost twice the number of fighter jets than the Russians. Then take into account the 22-1 kill ratio of the F-22.
So if they end up with the 170 F-22's then on paper thats a kill total of 3740 for the depletion of the F22 forces.
Yes I know its not that simple but thats what it would be on paper.
Then take into account the US Navy, who can lend their F-18's, marines as well. There is absolutely no need for a large force of air defense fighters.
Then you have to take into account that a large number of the Russian airforce aircraft are made up of Mig 29's and Su-27's All these fancy highly agile fighters you hear of are either still experimental or short in numbers. Now take into account the Russian airforce has a very poor service record so you can then take out maybe a hundred aircraft at any one time.
The bulk of the Russian airforce right now is made up of fighters which are matched and outclassed by the likes of the F-15 and F-16's. So silly spending isn't needed.
Especially when you consider the chances of an airwar against the Russians or even the chinese is miniscule at best.
The wars that are fought today require air support and precision strikes. The F-22 is not designed for this role. the aircraft that are, are getting to the end of their service life and the aircraft that is needed to replace them needs all the money it can get.
The most important thought behind this decision is not, ooh it can do fancy tricks, it is what can be the most useful aircraft to protect the lives of the men on the ground who need its help the most.

Kinda sad really, Sec. Of Defense is mad that his Generals kept speaking out saying 187 planes is not enough,even though all indications point to more then 187 needed. So he in turn put out an order that said the next person to speak out, will be seeing him personally, possible loosing there job. Now there is no more public record of any one saying any thing other then "We Support the White House fully in its decision..."

Now the Sec. Def is saying there have been no indication from the USAF or the Pentagon that more planes are needed, as its abilities mated to that of the F-35 will provide the US and it partners the freedom and protection they want.  (or there about, I don't remember the exact quote) I still remember before he gave the order to "shut up", that he was mad that no one was asking for more UAV's and other unmanned stuff.

But it looks like he is getting what he wants, a boat load of UAV's, and a plane that nobody is 100% sure can carry every thing the F-16C and AV-8B can carry, that it is supposed to be replacing. The USAF waiting almost 20 years for the perfect replacement to the F-15, just to have it axed after a few years of production....oh yeah and it is not allowed in the desert theater per the Sec. Defense ether. So it will never get the bug worked out of it properly like it should, now they are gonna have to find and deal with stuff, during a unpredictable combat situation when it comes up, rather then now when it can see what can be improved while in the actual roll it can do now.   

Every one keeps bringing up how nice it looks and how maneuverable it is, witch is all true and all, but you forget that underneath the skin is every thing learned from the F-15 and F-16. The overly powerful radar that allows it to see further then any thing trying to find it, the ability to pick up evade and or destroy radar sites like F-16CJ, able to act as it own AEWCS platform for it self, and to others over the battle field, part of Air Superiority is making sure there are no ground threats of any kind also. Provide a much larger coverage of area for troops below as it can detect many more hostels and engage them faster and quieter then it predecessor, and if you put 2 Raptors up there, they can cover a much larger area, and with the ability to see each other radar and share information automatically, what one sees, they all see, providing perfect protection for land and air. Oh yeah and don't for get the 50 or so F-117 that were sent to the Bone Yard to make room for the extra F-22's that were supposed to take over it's job. So they expect the plane to do triple duty while only having a less then modest handful? 

Dr.bob7 wrote on Jul 21^st, 2009 at 8:20pm:

As of right now the F-35 is projected at $180-mill and climbing for batch #1, while the F-22 is only $140-mill, and would drop in price if the USAF order more, and the US State Department approves the sale of the Raptor to Japan and Israel. Then it is said to drop the price to around $100-mill per unit.

While the F-35 on the other hand would not be at the "target" $80-mill until batch 3 left the assembly line. And because of this, this is why the joint countries involved don't wanna buy it until the price is fixed at the low affordable coast that was promised  when they all signed up for it. But the more it gets delayed, the more expensive it becomes until they are coming of the assembly lines as proper production units.
So it is up to the USA to buy the first batch and most of the 2nd batch in order for the coast to go down so the partners could aford it. Israel already said if Lockheed could promise the price at $80-$100-mill, they would give them the money now for a firm order of like 80 jets or so.

No politics please. Good reasons. This is just not the place.


Thank you.