[Nip]

I have never been impressed with the F-22. Being a retired AF officer that is something approaching heresy. Having said that…

We need to field the technology that went into the F-22. If it is a limited, and hence very costly, production run okay. If it is rolling the technology into the current F-15/F-16 force along with a service life extension program that too is okay.

We also need to reduce the developmental time and concepts currently used. The F-22 has been on the drawing boards for a decade plus. Why? The AF insists on designing with one committee, spending money by a second and totally unrelated committee, and building with a third and totally different committee. The result are programs that are over cost, behind schedule, and fields less that required capabilities.

The current system produces paper by the long ton, awards and decorations by the hundreds, and reduces responsibility to ZERO. Any business that attempted to operate the way the AF buys projects would be bankrupt a week after it was incorporated.

Still, lets buy the F-22, about a double Wing’s worth (120 aircraft), so we can wring out the technology and figure out what to do next. This would keep us a generation plus ahead of our nearest future enemy which might be enough for them to think twice before going to war over a “renegade province”.

[Ruddles]

Cancel the plane, invest money in spell check.

[xzins]

America should ALWAYS have the world's best technology, AND America should ALWAYS have multiple varieties of the best technology, each with different capabilities.

Providing warfighters the very best with a range of capabilities is the best way to insure optimal defense of this nation.

It isn't as if we had any real friends in this world. (Besides, what good is a tech inferior friend?)

[Cold Heat]

No, I don't think so. The cost has come down to 113M and it will go lower.

It looks like a darn good figher/bomber, and the rest of our stuff is aging and not near as balanced in capabilities.

Lot's of buttons though! LOL.

Twelve or thirteen on the throtle and more on the joystick. It is like a video game.

[vannrox]

And your solution ,for Air Superiority Aircraft to counter the new designs out of China and Russia, is...?

[STAmarine]

Cancel it and give all the money to me.

[ampat]

We'll need the F-22 to fight China and maybe the new USSR, in ten or fifteen years.

[Natural Law]

I must have missed the news of the Peoples Republic of China disbanding!

[Mustng959]

The F-15 was the finest fighter in its day. It will always be close to my heart for the long nights in overseas locations that I spent guarding it. The Russians put their MiG 25 up against it and for awhile the US was a little concerned about how the F-15 would fare in combat against the MiG, that is until a Soviet defector landed a MiG in Japan and US intelligence was able to see for themselves the inferior design of their fighter. Times have changed and the Russians are building some fine fighter jets nowadays. The beloved Eagle has fallen behind in superiority even with all of its retro fits. America can not wait to see what other countries have developed. We must continue to improve and upgrade weapons systems (both offensive and defensive) to thwart a preemptive attack. The Cold War with the former Soviet Union was won without massive loss of life due to advanced technology. We must continue to lead the way for the sake of future generations. The F-22 is a step in the right direction from what I've read.

[IAF ThunderPilot]

Cncell the F-22? What on earth for? Its the most advanced warplane in the world today- why should the US army loose his superiority? The F-22 is a stealth warplane- meaning that his signature on the radar is tiny or even non! Why to cancell it? To let potential enemy countries to think that the US superiority is minor? The JFS F-35 that will enter service betwin 2012-2015 is suposed to be even more advanced than the F-22, so should we cancell it too? If you wanted to save the cost of the F-22 you could share the development with other military-technological countries such as Israel, UK, Sweden and Australia. The F-35 is a development of other countries too- meaning that his cost for the US government will be lower that it would be without sharing the plane's development. Not only that the US army shouldnt cancell the F-22, but also it should increase its numbers!

F-22 Raptor

[BoBToMatoE]

If the F22 was canceled, you can kiss air superiority good bye. Right now our weapons are 30 years plus and aging. The Russians and French are developing systems which are on the heals of the F-22.

To be frank, the F-22 should have been deployed a long time ago. The contract was won when I was in high school and they are just now rolling them out.

Very bad development time.. but if we wait any longer, we will be in serious trouble. Dont believe me? check out what the indian air force did to our guys in war games.

[richard0135]

we have to own the skies now and in the future. The F-22 does this and the hell with the cost lets do it and keep owning the air.

[Young Werther]

Cancel it and build the UAVs which can do the job in the war on terrorism. DARPA, it was reported in Aviation Week a while back, had developed an ornithopter which could be covered with feathers and made to loook like a pigeon. Want a spy who could follow Al Quadea? Pigeons are ubiquitious and could listen for intelligence. His companion could carry a munitions charge and BOOM! How many millions could be built at the cost of one X-22???

[skybolt]

Should F22 be canceled?

Har to question to answer absolutely, when there are so many variables involved. Maybe not make as many of them. Transfer technology to other systems

But hey, a good topic & a good question to stimulate discussion.

Now for my unqualified & low seniority response (which makes it as valid as any other here ;-).

We always design these weapon systems with everything and the kitchen sink thrown into them, then the aircraft is never used that way such as the F-111, or on the other side we design the aircraft to a narrow spec, and then proceed to load it up with all the other requirements, take the F-104 as an example. Of course which design bureau the acft was designed in plays a large factor.

I remember (when I was in the service in the early 70's) and the B1-A was a semi-secret/public thing, we had Generals claiming all they needed to stop a Soviet sweep of east Europe was a fleet of 10 B1's.
But then the B1-A & B1-B ECM suite never lived up to expectation as I understand. No matter though, the B1 has never been used for its original mission account the fall of the Soviet Bloc.

But who knows how a weapon system will function until it is tested in real warfare?

Even with the flaws of the B1, a fleet of them on the deck at 900 knots, with their imperfect ecm suites, but good crews, loaded with SRAM's and HARM's would have been a serious threat to any adversary.

[Cableguy]

They should scrap it and work on the next generation. No one has answers for our F-15/16/18's even now.

[tm22721]

The dollar is crashing we need to build up our military before the coming trade war erupts into a hot war.

BUMP

[CHAZZ5122]

no,the article in popular mechanics about the indian air force kicking our butts in recent war games was a real eye opener.they flew su-30mk fighters and we flew f-15c.the article goes on to state that the outcome may have been different if we had used awacs equipped planes to help spot them first but then we would have to place a higher value on protecting these aircraft using more resources.

[quadrant]

Cancel the F22 and divert the money the JSF project.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Even "Sixty Minutes" would be embarrassed by your post. You haven't adduced a scintilla of evidence, or even tried to establish a criterion by which a decision can be made. Could you please refrain from posting completely vacuous and inane opinions in the future?

[GoMonster]

dude you are nuts. you obviously understand nothing about modern warefare. Air supiority is key. This jet hands down defeats any plane out there. Very much needed. 300 million is cheap.