Posted on 04/22/2009 8:30:52 AM PDT by KayEyeDoubleDee
Don’t discount the possibility that there may “senior defense officials” who might deliberately spread a false rumor in order to damage the reputation of Pentagon contractors. Where is the proof?
in the past there is usually insider help aiding and abetting in the stealing of important information.
Well paid, of course.
“This is the plane that Gates wanted to use to replace the F22 which he & 0bambi are cancelling.”
We will find that this is a story planted by Chris Dodd so the F22 isn’t cancelled.
It is important that enemies have our present weapons systems so that contractors can sell new weapons systems.
Rinse, lather, repeat.
And even if the F-35 could come in at $35 Million [it won't - it will end up being $100+ Million just like the F22], then if a single F22 went head-to-head with three F35s, who would win?
The F-22 is faster and more maneurvable than the F-35. These are not competive fighters, but complimentary.
Consider, the F-35 (cheaper) is designed to be a ‘customized’ to support all of our armed forces. (Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines). Currently, the fighters used on the carriers are designed to support short range, short take-off air superiority; while the USAF wants long range fighters, and runway length is not a paramount consideration. We can make a bunch of F-35s, the landing gear, electronics, hyraulics, engines, wings, airframe and practically everything else are all essentially identical, so we only have to support 1 major parts list - instead of currently supporting dozens. Minor tweaks are made to ‘customize’ it for whatever specialization a particular service needs to support their mission.
The F-22 is designed for Air Supremacy. It is the ultimate in speed, stealth, weaponry and speed. This plane will go up against anything else in the air, and win. This plane is primarily a USAF weapon. Air Supremacy at a high cost, but no one can match this bird.
Going against each other? The F-22 hands-down. Little or no contest there.
Bear in mind, in modern warfare; the AWACs, the Predators and other radar systems can all interconnect - so the F-22 can ‘see’ much, much further than it’s radar can reach. The F-22 can see threats, while remaining ‘invisible’. The limitations on range are now becoming limited by the range of our missles. The age of dog-fights are, for all intensive purpose, an air-show demo only. Why would I risk myself at close range, when I can shoot you down from 50+ miles away and you never even know I am in the air? If I’m pitching left and right, dodging your bullets - I might spill by soda and stain my pants. It’s far easier to fly ‘sneaky’ and let you stain yours.
Then why are we ditching the superior fighter in favor of the inferior fighter?
Do you think that the Chicoms will cancel a superior [tested, certified, in production] fighter in favor of an inferior [untested, still-on-the-drawing-board, more-or-less hypothetical] fighter?
“The red flag numbers state that the F-22 has a 30-1 kill ratio where the F-35 has a 3-1 kill rate (compared to the current top soviet fighters)(the F-15 and F-16 are about 1-1 now depending on the quality of the pilots). That being said, the F-22 is a “first day of war” fighter. It is intended to establish air-dominance while the F-35 goes and drops the bombs. An F-22 pilot said that shooting down top soviet planes or simulated soviet planes “F-15’s” was like “clubbing baby seals”. No contest.
“
I understand your confusion - you are not alone. I’d say 98% of your Congressmen have the same questions.
Why do you have a truck and a car in your garage? (I’m assuming here.). Each has a different purpose, one is a people mover, the other hauls lumber, cement, dry wall, and your kids stuff to the college dorm.
The F-22 is second to NONE, it dominates the airspace, while the more numerous (but still very lethal) F-35’s from the Navy, Marines, Army and/or Air Force go into the battle zone and bomb their targets. The F-22 is a fighter’s ‘escort force’. Why put a dedicated bomber (typically slower, heavier, and not stealth) at risk in a ‘first strike’ or into a heavily defended area?
The F-35’s are also stealth, and while better than any of our current fighters, they are no match for their bigger brother. But, going against the current crop of MiG’s, they are equal or marginally better.
So, the F-22’s run escort, the F-35’s take our the initial targets (missle launch pads, radar installations, defensive and offensive military targets). Then the heavy bombers can go in and take out the hard targets (bunkers, ect).
Hope this helps.
Both are currently flying. Neither of these is untested, or still on the drawing board.
There will be about a 10:1 ratio of F-35s to F-22’s. The cuts won’t cancel the planes, IMHO, but will diminish the numbers we have in the air. The F-35 is supposed to replace the F-16 and F-15; which have been around for decades. Any delay we have now, will simply extend the life of the F-15/16.
So the F22 is TEN TIMES the plane for only THREE TIMES the cost?!?
Well, what else should we expect from an administration which thinks there's something significant about trimming $100 million from a budget of $4 TRILLION ?!?
F-5, F-5F, F-5N, F-15, F-15A, F-15B, F-15C, F-15D, F-15E, F-16, F-16B,F-16C,F-16D,F/A-18, F/A-18A, F/A-18C, F/A-18D, F/A-18A, F/A-18B, F/A-18C, F/A-18D, and F/A-18E/F.
The A, B, C .... revisions on each airframe are major changes that affect the aircraft's performance as well as it's mission. So, we presently are supporting 20+ different aircraft. Different engines, different hydraulic systems, landing gear, electronics, airframes, ect.
Going to the F-35 will streamline our logistics, simply our maintenance while simultaneously boosting our mission capabilities.
This is ludicrous.
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