[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

I believe the key point this article brings home is not so much the technical reasons re the cancellation, but the fact there is NOT ENOUGH MONEY.

Surely, the USAF would like to have triple the number of Raptors it is getting (among other wishes). Remember, we just heard this crap recently where they are taking ALL the F-117s out of service and cutting back on the B-52 and other platforms just to pay for FOUR more Raptors.

The USA is running out of money! We simply do not have the money anymore to defend our nation because so much of our spending is going toward social welfare.

Instead of looking at this article in a narrow focus (technical reasons, etc.), we must look at this article in context with the $8 Trillion in debt, the cost of the war, the rising cost of socialism, SS, Medicaid, boomers and Medicare, the coast of illegal alien medical care and incarceration, and Bush's fixation on giving away the national treasury to foreign governments and dictators, and his fixation on Bono and canceling hundreds of billions in foreign debt owed to us . . ., etc.

All this, and take into account all the stories of the pressure being applied on the military to cut costs, while Bush and Congress dole out BILLIONS of global charity and add new social welfare programs domestically--this is the key reason why this program is being canceled and many other programs, like the F-22, the DD(X), the JSF and so many others are being cut back, canceled, delayed, stretched and generally taking a back seat to the surging, stratoshperic spending in domestic and social welfare.

Socialism trumps the defense of the USA.

[TalonDJ]

I think there are other factors. I think the Joint Strike Fighter has pointed out some of the weaknesses of massive 'joint venture' programs.

[TalonDJ]

F-117s are OLD and '52s much more so. You can ALWAYS keep around a ton old hardware for the same cost as just a few of the new stuff. This has been true since the dawn of time.

[OldArmy52]

Correct.
LBJ & Congress did a "guns & butter" policy during the Vietnam War years.
Bush & Congress are doing the same.

It was not sustainable, and the war spending/effort lost back then.

Imagine the Dem's are more fiscal & responsible now, at least enough to not oppose any Repub efforts to trim socialist programs?