Posted on 03/25/2005 7:47:04 AM PST by Stand Watch Listen
As the Pentagon works on a four-year review of its force size and military strategy, the Air Force is hoping that the final analysis will either restore cuts to its premiere fighter program, or least delay closing the production line, according to a key service official involved in the effort.
Maj. Gen. Ronald Bath, the director of Air Force strategic planning, says service officials intend to make the case for the F/A-22. ''I think that the number will go up, the production line will stay open, or a combination of both,'' he said in an interview Wednesday with Defense Daily.
Since seeing projected production of the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F/A-22 Raptor slashed to just 179 aircraft following an internal Pentagon budget drill, the Air Force has been making the case to boost the number of aircraft. The current Air Force requirement is for 381 F/A-22s.
Along with cutting the number of aircraft, that budget drill, which resulted in the now infamous Program Budget Decision 753, would have the Raptor production line close at the end of 2008.
''I do think the industrial base is something that needs to be thought about,'' Bath said. He argued that keeping the F/A-22 production line open would help hedge against any possible delay to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, also produced by Lockheed.
The ongoing Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) is expected to help resolve what that final number of F/A-22s should be. Work on the QDR is just getting started, however, with the establishment of 'integrated product teams' in areas ranging from air dominance to business practices.
''The process is taking shape as we speak,'' said Bath, who is leading the Air Force’s QDR work.
For example, not all of the integrated product teams have even met yet, according to Bath, who described them as in the 'discovery phase' of their work. '' think within a month, the IPTs will be up and running and getting into their analysis.''
There are expected to be a number of differences between the current QDR, and the last one, completed in 2001. Senior Pentagon officials have repeatedly emphasized that this time around, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is directing the QDR as a 'top-down' review.
On the other hand, the Pentagon's leadership did change course slightly earlier this year, deciding to bring in more service representation. The IPTs all now have uniformed officers representing the services.
Another change for the current QDR is the notion of incorporating 'rolling decisions' from the ongoing analysis. ''I think some of the first decisions will come down in the early summer,'' Bath said, adding that the final analysis should come together in the fall.
The full QDR is due to Congress in February 2006.
Y'know, I work for LockMart's competition, and even *I* don't want the F/A-22 program canceled. What the heck are they thinking up there?
The cutbacks are the inevitable result of the pressure enititlement programs are putting on the government. Its only going to get worse.
You follow these Raptor threads?
Ping
If you want on or off my ping list, please contact me by Freep mail not by posting to this thread.
Plus most of the cost has already been incurred. I wish they would talk about the "fly away" costs rather than the average cost. Decreasing the number of units produced necessarily increases average costs.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/fb-22.htm
Here's a picture of the proposed FB-22. Notice it's tailless.
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From four tails to no tails....doesn't seem right!
BTTT
Way Cool !!
How is the B-2 stabilized?
Good point.
Via FM
FM=Freakin' Magic.......
That FB-22 looks like it could hold 6 racks of those SDB's!
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