[Long Cut]

Okay, the F-22 is already being readied for full production and distribution to squadrons. It's coming, and soon.

The F-35 is nowhere NEAR that level of completion, and it has proven itself to be too heavy to carry a useful load of weapons and fuel. All the services want to back out of that one, and word has it that it's DOA, probably for official cancellation next year.

[forYourChildrenVote4Bush]

Isn't the F-35 the plane that was supposed to be used on aircraft carriers (It could take off vertically??)? Can the f22 be modified for aircrafts or will they keep the f18?

F-35 is the one that had multiple countries joining in its development? I always thought that the F-35 was further ahead than the f22.

[Quix]

Fine.

Field a few fighter wings of the F22. I'm all for new fun toys.

But let's not delude ourselves that it's our best or most advanced. It's archaic.

It's a jobs program. It's a lot of things. But it's far from the most advanced craft we have.

It's even far from the most advanced craft we have that's already produced and deployed in very hidden strategic places.

Whether we'll be allowed to use such secret craft to defend our shores against puppet master planned attacks is a whole 'nother issue.