U.S., South Korea Forces Say They Can Repel North as Raptors, Ships Deploy

U.S. and South Korean forces said they are ready to repel any threat posed by North Korea as 24 stealth fighter jets deploy to the region and a report said the military alert level has been raised.

Naval vessels plan anti-submarine exercises close to the disputed maritime border between North and South Korea where one of the South’s warships sank on March 26, killing 46 sailors. An international team of experts last week concluded that a North Korean torpedo blew apart the Cheonan, prompting Kim Jong Il’s regime to cut all ties with the South and threaten “all-out war” over any punitive action.

“U.S. and ROK forces are well prepared to deter aggression against the Republic of Korea and meet any threat posed by North Korean Forces,” said Lieutenant Colonel Angela Billings, a spokeswoman for U.S. forces in Korea, in a written response to questions. She declined to give any details on operational strategy, ship movements or contingency plans should the North make good on a threat to open fire on vessels invading disputed waters, citing security policy.

The deployment of 24 F-22A Raptor jets, manufactured by Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp., to Japan and Guam was previously scheduled and wasn’t in response to “any specific situation in the region,” said Lieutenant Colonel Sam Highley, an Air Force spokesman based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. South Korea earlier this week began sea drills near the border, which included the firing of depth charges.

Shep Smith, John McCain and Obama all said the F-22 isn’t needed and was obsoleted by the new type of wars we have to face.

I don't believe that's accurate. What I think they really said (or at least meant) is that we don't need more than the 187 Raptors we currently have ... and which will be in our inventory (with some attrition) for the next 30 years.

The F-22 has been in the US inventory for ~5 years now, and there have only been two kills against it in exercises. Both by USN F/A-18 Super Hornets, both with very lucky shots (an "F" Superbug got a nice gun kill, an "F" Growler a missile kill). While at the same time the F-22 has racked up literally hundreds of "kills" in response.

The chances that either Russia or the PRC will really be able to field a true 5th Generation fighter are in doubt. Yes there's the Pak-FA, which looks nice - sort of like a hybrid cross of an F-22, YF-23, F-35 and Su-27, but there's an enormous amount of doubt as to whether the Russians are capable of producing avionics/weapons systems for it comparable to the Raptor, as well as doubt that their manufacturing processes can mass-produce stealth capability equivalent to the F-22.

And if the Russians can't do it, the ChiComs certainly can't. Word has been leaking out that their first real attempt at a modern fighter (4th Gen), the J-10 - which is itself designed based on sold Israeli Lavi and stolen/gifted Eurofighter information, sucks.

Now this doesn't mean that, imho, we need to stop F-22 production. Given possible attrition and scenarios requiring simultaneous deployment of Raptor squadrons to different locations (say having to send part of the force to the ME to counter Iran while having to send another part to Kadina and Guam to counter the NKs and/or ChiComs) we should have more than the 187 we have. Especially since this Administration and Congress have been racking up debts like drunken sailors with all the stimulus funding. Georgia, where the F-22 is built, could use some of that in what would be a win-win.

HOWEVER ... while the argument that ~187 Raptors plus however many F-35s we're going to build will be "enough" may not sway me personally, I think it is a legitimate one to make and warrants consideration other than off-handed dismissal.

Considering the “planned” and explainable buildup of our side of the equation...

It would not be a stretch to imagine it is because of the unstable leader and high command structure of the NK’s military...

I wouldn’t be surprised if the NK’s do something else stupid just because Kim wants to go out with a bang...

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