In bipartisan vote, Senate protects funding for Boeing C-17 cargo planes

L.A. Times ^ | 10/01/09 | Richard Simon

[Nachum]

McCain vows to continue effort to strip $2.5-billion for 10 additional planes from the defense bill. Obama and Gates also say the extra C-17s, which are assembled in Long Beach, are not needed.

Reporting from Washington - The Senate on Wednesday shot down an effort to kill funding for Boeing C-17 military cargo planes that President Obama says are not needed, underscoring the turbulence the White House faces in trying to cut money for politically popular projects.

[wastedyears]

VOTE THE SENILE OLD MAN OUT!!!!

[FreeSmart]

Pork not going to John Murtha’s district? Shocking!

[1rudeboy]

I was wondering how this would turn into a Blame Bush First thread, thanks.

[wk4bush2004]

So, we can have the C-17, but we can’t have the F-22? I don’t get it.

[1rudeboy]

Let me know what the anti-FReepers think, little girl.

[investigateworld]

You both don't want me to pull this thread over and reach back and gave y'all a smack - do you now?

You're both capable of better arguments.

(thread nanny mode off)

[1rudeboy]

[Blue State Insurgent]

What’s your beef with Bush?

[Yo-Yo]

Now we need another $2 billion for ten more F-22s.

[Niuhuru]

Perhaps the senate is getting nervous about retaining their seats.

[bt579]

$2bill would only buy 5 F-22S

[Yo-Yo]

Current F-22 flyaway costs are under $200 million.

[norton]

$2.5 billion for ten AC that will be needed for as long as they can keep the wings on 'em.

Not too bad a deal, particularly when the news recently ran a report of $10 billion or so being tacked onto the cost of relocating Marines (MCAS?) from Oki to Guam because a Hawaiian congress creep insisted on using union workers, from Hawaii, at prevailing wage in Hawaii, to do the work.

Good to know that SOME members of congress have their heads on straight and in a reasonable relationship with their anatomy.

[Tallguy]

Well, if you’re going to fight a long war in a landlocked country like Afghanistan that has insecure land lines-of-communications, you are going to need a lot heavy air transport. Every once in a while Congress gets one right in spite of themselves.

[bt579]

In April 2006, the cost of the F-22 was assessed by the Government
Accountability Office to be $361 million per aircraft. This cost reflects the F-
22 total ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-22_Raptor

[Yo-Yo]

Read your wiki again. "This cost reflects the F-22 total program cost, divided by the number of fighters the Air Force is programmed to buy; and which has so far invested $28 billion in the Raptor's research, development and testing."

The sunk costs are already sunk. According to the very same wiki entry: "Unit cost US$142.6 million (2009 flyaway cost)"

If we order ten more F-22s, the incremental costs will be $142 million each. Then there are spares to consider, making the total unit cost just under $200 million each. We can easily afford 20 more Raptors for under $2 Billion.