Posted on 07/10/2009 10:37:20 AM PDT by pobeda1945
Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air National Guard, said in a letter this week to Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) that he likes the F-22 because its speed and electronics enable it to handle "a full spectrum of threats" that current defensive aircraft "are not capable of addressing."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The ‘major shortcomings’ is this Washington Compost headline.
skin problems.
This aircraft was built on an ROI for over 900 aircraft. Its very high cost R7D and manufacturing required it.
Now, that the government have cut it back to 187 aircraft, the ROI is being carried out over 1/6 of what was initially expected.
So of course each and every one is very high priced.
The answer is to order 400-600 of these unbelievably capable aircraft that smoke all comers in every exercise, even when the deck is stacked against them...including against our own, very capable and well trained pilots in F-15s, F-18s, and F-16s.
The Chinese are developing their own stealth fighter, we better keep our eye on the ball. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1600141/posts
As with any new project there will be issues, but after real world testing and use we will discover solutions, as always.
We’re Americans, at least some of us are.
Interesting article.
Looks like a lot of the issues are typical of developing a weapons system design - cost overruns, design bugs to be worked out, etc. That’s par for the course, IMHO. You could easily rattle off a dozen highly successful weapons systems that had the same teething problems, going back as far as the Soviet T-34 (serious transmission problems early on).
Likewise, I’m not all that surprised at the allegations of a politicized/porky contractor/sub-contractor system. As it was once said, no one ever went broke supplying an army. I don’t like it, but it is to an extent unavoidable when dealing with government contracts.
What *does* concern me more are the allegations of poor quality control and shoddy manufacturing quality. If true, then someone’s hide needs to be nailed to the wall until that’s fixed.
All IMHO, anyway.
The Washington Post has never seen a military purchase that it didn’t think was a major mistake. That’s part of the reason why most folks think a purchase of the Washington Post is a major mistake.
Remember the Osprey. I’ll bet the Washington Post had a field day ripping that project to shreds. Now it’s being utilized in Iraq with great success.
Every project has it’s problems. These are extremely complex aircraft. Why should the F-22 be any different?
In the end the aircraft will be an amazing asset to the United States. The alternative is to do without it, rely on aircraft that are dying, or something new that is only 75% of the place the F-22 is.
So do we want to go up against other nation’s aircraft with something that is 75% as good as the F-22? In a word no.
Yes Washington Post, the F-22 probably does have some things to iron out. So are we better off with it or without it?
We’re better off with it, and the twenty years we spent getting the thing produced, needs to be honored with the actually purchase numbers we need. We can’t afford to spend another twenty years developing another aircraft, and having the same jackasses that hiss and moan today, get that one canceled as well.
We’re in the middle of production. It’s time to complete the purchase. Now shut the hell up.
Amen.
I was in Okinawa during the F-22s 1st overseas deployment - got to watch them spar with the F-15s over Kadena - couldn't believe the turn radius - seems they were always turning in on the eagles no matter what the F-15s did - amazing.
I was in Okinawa when the Habu’s (aka SR-71s) ran regular missions to the west....Koza City = bar, strip club, pawnshop, massage parlor....rinse & repeat for about 1 or two miles.....
Don't they have vectored thrust?....very useful for 'tail walking'....
Kadena BumP from an ol’ MAG 36’r to you both
spent most of 1974 at MCASH Futemna down the road
definitely remember seeing a real Habu or two
hanging out in Gate 2 street clubs, the Hilltop Hilton
mai tais, barry white , kobe beef
Go F-22! It’s under assault at a time we need it most..
They were so upset about the B-52's a year or two before leaving from K.....AF moved them to Guam...they never said a word about fully fuel loaded KC's leaving there....much more deadly IMO>.....
I bet it could have.
I remember the pundits trashing the M1 Abrams, the Bradley fighting vehicle.
Both were deemed nowhere near their hype. Too maintenance intensive, fragile, not able to survive in a sand environment. Blah blah blah
I take these reports w/ a grain of salt.
Saw an F-22 fly at 2 air shows. Impressive.
Will see an F-22 in a flyby on the 18th along with the Blue Angels. The former Pentagon Controller mentioned in the story, John Hamre, is an old college friend.
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