Posted on 04/06/2009 10:52:31 AM PDT by jazusamo
In a blow to Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon has decided to purchase to end funding of the F-22 fighter jet.
The decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates will rouse widespread opposition in Congress and is likely to bog down the 2010 budget approval process, with F-22 supporters maneuvering to secure more money.
The Pentagon will fund four of the radar-evading stealth fighters in the upcoming 2009 emergency war-spending request, but those additional aircraft will do little to keep the production line in Marietta, Ga., open beyond 2011. Lockheed Martin is the main contractor for the F-22, each of which costs about $140 million.
Gates announced the decision at a press conference on the Defense budget on Monday afternoon.
No money will be requested in the fiscal 2010 budget, congressional and industry sources familiar with the budget briefings told The Hill. Gates has been making calls to the chairmen of the congressional defense committees.
The final F-22 of the 183 currently on order will be delivered at the end of 2011. Building another four would keep the line open for only a few months beyond that end date.
Lockheed Martin and its subcontractors, including Boeing, in recent weeks have stepped up their campaign to keep the production line open. They argue that 25,000 people work directly for the 1,000 suppliers of the F-22 in 44 states, and another 70,000 indirectly owe their jobs to this program.
Good article...Russia will definitely rebuild its military with oil dollars.
Pentagon to end F-22 jets, presidential chopper
Gates: Pentagon to end Lockheed Martin’s F-22 fighter jets, presidential helicopter programs
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Pentagon-to-end-F22-jets-apf-14860901.html
If and when we go to war with Iran it would be part of the war on terror since Iran has a terrorist regime. So here is a part of the war on terror where the F-22 will be very useful.
ROTFLMAO!!!! This GOP? Obama's going to get more flack on this decision from union-supporting Democrats than he is the congressional GOP leadership. And I think we both know that.
Nah and China's not a threat either. What the aych-ee-double-toothpicks are you a professor of anyway? Tinker toys and leggos?
“The F-22 is a boondogle.”
I think I know where the ‘boodoggle’ is there Mr. Professor.
I suspect you salute to the big ZERO.
The reality.....
These fighters are only effective for early stealth strikes against heavily defended installations.
Obama is never going to order such a strike.
The F-22 has no value to our military in that case.
You are absolutely, totally and without a doubt clueless about the AF mission. Since you won’t answer with clear facts here are a couple of rhetorical questions for you.
On what carrier is the Navy going to launch a B-52 or B-2, or for fun, a wave of bombers to attack the likes of the Republican Guard like the BUFF’s did in DS/DS?
What Navy base is going to handle all of the cargo aircraft and forward deployment of men and materiel? What Marine or Navy unit for that matter is going to handle the ICBM’s or the Space Command?
As for the snipe shot at the USAF being in the tank for BO, PROOF AND OR SOURCE PLEASE!!!!
Totally different missions across the services is all I will say to end this discussion.
SZ
Ping to read later
Gates to cut several major weapons programs
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090406/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/defense_budget
“The F-22 is a boondogle.
Besides, you can’t fight terrorists with the F-22 - It was designed to shoot down the best and brightest Soviet fighters around. Well, they ain’t around and soon neither will be the F-22.
Maybe the Air Force should be next on the chopping block. It would be poetic justice.”
You have just outed yourself as a leftist troll.
You need to do some research on the F-35. It’s not even close to the F-22. The F-22 is a major leap beyond the F-15. The F-35 may or may not be all that much better than the airplanes it is supposed to replace in terms of range, load, agility, etc.
No surprises in this really. The F-22 will likely be argued over and some compromise reached. $140 mil per plane is not that outrageous these days. The near $500 mil per presidential helicopter—now that’s outrageous.
Army’s FCS program was expecting a hit and they got one.
Cancelling CSAR-x is not surprising either.
TC
The Kenyan Clown intends to destroy our military.
Herro kim Jong il! When did you become a freeper?
Isn't the new Marine One from Aerosaptiale?
I'll be sure to pass that along to the folks I know who are being laid off and / or dispersed around Boeing.
(Besides, McCain has staked his career on battering both the the plane and the manufacturer.)
PS: To all those preaching for unmanned combat platforms...remember back to the guns versus missiles debate of the fifties and early sixties.
Missile armed F4s sucked when the time came and there are guns on everything flying or designed today because technology looked better than it performed.
When those pilotless 'platforms' go up against an enemy I'd really like to think we had adequate back up in the event of a wipe out.
He has been thoroughly embarrassed and dealt with aptly by any thinking folks on the thread. That ought to be enough.
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