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If we can't have all the F-22's we need, at least make more F-15's and F-16's, upgrade their avionics from the 1980's a bit. The F-35 looks like a piece of junk to me, I'd take an F-4, my favorite next to the Avro Arrow, first. Still, between the two, I'd take more F-22's over the F-35.

Still overall, if you want to go on a shoestring, bring back the F-4 with upgraded avionics. B-)

No. Upgrading to next-generation fighters is better than using upgraded old aircraft with new stuff, at least on the front line against a first-class adversary.

Remember WWII when the Japanese A6M Zero was outclassed by F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsairs in the PTO. The IJN decided to stay the course with Zeroes instead and their a$$e$ were whooped by the USN.

If the USAAF did not deploy the P-51 Mustang in ETO, the Third Reich's cities would not have been bombed to ruins and could have enabled the Luftwaffe to deploy the Me262 in large numbers and regain air superiority.

If I were a USAF general, I'd certainly tag along with next-generation fighters and gain air supremacy rather than lose it.

Still overall, if you want to go on a shoestring, bring back the F-4 with upgraded avionics.

Against a first-class adversary, the Rhinos would be mincemeat, unless you're facing MiG-21s.

If we can't have all the F-22's we need, at least make more F-15's and F-16's, upgrade their avionics from the 1980's a bit. The F-35 looks like a piece of junk to me, I'd take an F-4, my favorite next to the Avro Arrow, first. Still, between the two, I'd take more F-22's over the F-35.

Still overall, if you want to go on a shoestring, bring back the F-4 with upgraded avionics. B-)

The F-15 and 16, while great for their time, for their respective jobs, are out of date for Gen 5 aircraft coming out. The F-15 upgraded, would be hard pressed to keep up with the Russian Su-37/47. It would be stretched to its absolute max against the s-300/400 missile system if operated by an integrated by Russians.

I don't care if the F-15 costs $50 million per plane less. When planes are getting blasted and pilots dying, the added cost of the F-22 pays off.

You might be able to buy 50 new Eagles for 30 Raptors. But send 10 of the 30 Raptors up against the 50 Eagles, and your going to have 10 pilots coming back to share beers with their 20 buddies, who hung back. The Eagles will be scrapped.

Gen 5 fighters are that good. And the Raptor is the best of them.