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Pentagon to end F-22 production
The Hill ^ | April 6, 2009 | Roxana Tiron

Posted on 04/06/2009 10:52:31 AM PDT by jazusamo

In a blow to Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon has decided to purchase to end funding of the F-22 fighter jet.

The decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates will rouse widespread opposition in Congress and is likely to bog down the 2010 budget approval process, with F-22 supporters maneuvering to secure more money.

The Pentagon will fund four of the radar-evading stealth fighters in the upcoming 2009 emergency war-spending request, but those additional aircraft will do little to keep the production line in Marietta, Ga., open beyond 2011. Lockheed Martin is the main contractor for the F-22, each of which costs about $140 million.

Gates announced the decision at a press conference on the Defense budget on Monday afternoon.

No money will be requested in the fiscal 2010 budget, congressional and industry sources familiar with the budget briefings told The Hill. Gates has been making calls to the chairmen of the congressional defense committees.

The final F-22 of the 183 currently on order will be delivered at the end of 2011. Building another four would keep the line open for only a few months beyond that end date.

Lockheed Martin and its subcontractors, including Boeing, in recent weeks have stepped up their campaign to keep the production line open. They argue that 25,000 people work directly for the 1,000 suppliers of the F-22 in 44 states, and another 70,000 indirectly owe their jobs to this program.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: 0bama; 0bamaisfailing; 65grendeldotcom; aerospace; agenda; airdominance; bho44; bhodod; defensespending; f22; gop2010; idiocracy; ignoranceisstrength; lockheedmartin; palin2012; raptor; rookie; secdefgates; usaf
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To: TalonDJ

At 140 Million a pop, we could outfit a squadron for what we gave ACORN.


181 posted on 04/06/2009 12:24:49 PM PDT by hattend (Sarah Palin has run a fishing business, a city, and a state. All Obama has done is run his mouth.)
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To: SIDENET
Vladimir Putin is Vladimir Putin in...

“To Play The Tsar.”

182 posted on 04/06/2009 12:24:56 PM PDT by RichInOC (No! BAD Rich! (What'd I say?))
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To: EGPWS

I think South Korea has a few dozen F-4s in service... maybe the Zero can buy them back... I’m sure they would be cheap...


183 posted on 04/06/2009 12:25:47 PM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: All

Professor_Leonide: 02/18/2009


184 posted on 04/06/2009 12:25:48 PM PDT by VaBthang4 ("He Who Watches Over Israel Will Neither Slumber Nor Sleep")
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To: A.A. Cunningham

Semper Fi and calm down A.A. You and I are saying the same thing. They were not interested in the F-22 and passed on it instead willing to keep the F-18 and wait on the F-35.


185 posted on 04/06/2009 12:25:56 PM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: GBA

I seem to remember an article posted here a while back that said there was an up grade to the F-16s that would make them much better than F-22s and do it for millions less.


186 posted on 04/06/2009 12:26:48 PM PDT by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: VaBthang4

Oh looky, a Troll....


187 posted on 04/06/2009 12:26:49 PM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: JamesP81
we're going to wish like hell we had a system like the F-22 to deploy against them

No kidding! And then all the trolls will be whining about us not having them and accusing the contractors or deliberately sabotaging us. Replace "F-22" with "Oil" and "Lockheed" with "Walmart" and most of their whining sounds just like the liberals. It is one of the only things we are spending money on that is tailor made to 'protect and defend' us. One of the few weapons we are spending money on that will give real enemies pause. So do we keep that and go after unconstitutional welfare? Heck no! I want someone to tell me what the hell the Federal government is for if it is not to build us F-22's and the like?
188 posted on 04/06/2009 12:27:01 PM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: GBA; All

Is the Government saying future wars will all be local and small? Then the question what plane would you wish to have?
My thinking is along the lines of a A-10”Warthog”. Rock solid and agile!


189 posted on 04/06/2009 12:28:15 PM PDT by GOYAKLA (My Tee shirt for 2009-2012:" I voted FRED don't you wish you did")
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To: antisocial

If there was, you can bet that we and all the countries that have them or build some variant based on it would be doing that upgrade.


190 posted on 04/06/2009 12:29:54 PM PDT by GBA
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To: jazusamo

Jintau, Putin, and Medvedev are smiling from ear to ear.


191 posted on 04/06/2009 12:30:08 PM PDT by papasmurf (Trow da' bum out!)
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To: TalonDJ
"They are totally different beast with different requirements."

The articles that I have read said that the F-35 in conjunction with the F-22 were to replace the F-16 Falcons for the Air Force. It must do some of the same things for that to be the case. Again, we can only go by what we've read. Other than pictures, not a lot of people on this sight have even seen an F-22 or F-35. We can only go by what we've read. Before I react negatively to this report and blame it on Obama, I'm going to read more and hold my powder. There is a lot of waste in defense spending and the best defense for the F-22 in this article is that there are a lot of jobs at stake. That should never be considered when we are talking defense.
192 posted on 04/06/2009 12:30:21 PM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: Professor_Leonide
It has always been my contention that it should hurt to be stupid. The Air Force could return to it’s Army Air Corps days and just test out new models. is an example of the truism of that contention.

The Air Force is required because of the simple physics of flight, and aerial force projection. Add up the following, if you know how to add.
Large masses accelerate more slowly than small masses. It takes more than a mile for a loaded B-52 to get airborn. A B-52 is VERY large. It will not fit on the largest aircraft carrier ever built. A single B-52 carries many times the bomb load of a carrier based bomber. Modern Strategic Bombing is meant to deny Command, Control, Communication and Logistics to the Enemy. A B-52 is a target, and largely unarmed. Fighters, such as the F-22, are required to protect bombers, so the bomber can fulfill it's mission. The Air Force works Way Deep behind the MLR

Now, add THESE facts up. The Primary Mission of Marine Air is to provide Close Air Support for ground troops, and if there is any time or ammo left, can provide air superiority. Notice how few Marine pilots went North on bombing missions during Viet Nam. It was not in the Mission Statement.

78% of the Earth is sea. The Navy projects force at sea, hence the haze gray paint job. Navy air protects carriers and all other shipping until the ship can unload on some Faraway Shore. An aircraft carrier, no matter how large , WILL SINK. Airplanes don't float.

The THREE branches are mutually supporting, even if the Air Force treats it like a 9 to 5 job. Navy Air covers the Sea, and bits close to the Sea, the Marine Air covers the actual combat zone, the Air Force fills in the rest.

No one likes Big Macs, and Walmart, so no one likes the US. Obamaq want to destroy it all, based on some hazy It's A Small World After All crack dream. We are trying to minimize the damage he is doing. You aren't too adept on this Logic thing, are you?

193 posted on 04/06/2009 12:30:40 PM PDT by jonascord (Hey, we have the Constitution. What's to worry about?)
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To: Old Teufel Hunden

Loss of jobs is a reason given to Congresscritters because they only care about staying in Congress.

Tell a Congresscritter or Senator that 100,000 voters are not going to vote for you next time is motivation to keep an assembly line open.

Most Congresscritters wouldn’t know an F-22 from an F-86


194 posted on 04/06/2009 12:30:51 PM PDT by hattend (Sarah Palin has run a fishing business, a city, and a state. All Obama has done is run his mouth.)
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To: sam_paine
The reality.....

These fighters are only effective for early stealth strikes against heavily defended installations.


Do your homework. The F-22 has been, since the first moment it was a spark in some generals cortex, intended to do just one thing. That was NOT strike. That was to blow away every darn thing that attempted to challenge it in the air. It is called an Air Dominance Fighter for a reason. Whether the Zero will order it or not they will protect the country from attack. And anyone that things we will be immune to conventional attack after he ditches our nukes is fatally shortsighted.
195 posted on 04/06/2009 12:31:41 PM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: HelloooClareece

I served for 20 years in the military and retired a few years ago, so I really resent being called a DUmmy. I just think the Air Force doesn’t care about the other services and the F-22 is superfluous to our War on Terror.


196 posted on 04/06/2009 12:31:46 PM PDT by Professor_Leonide (I said to the young man who showed me a photo, "Who can ever be sure what is behind a mask?")
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To: Lurking in Kansas
I think South Korea has a few dozen F-4s in service... maybe the Zero can buy them back... I’m sure they would be cheap...

Oh good gawd all mighty, F-4's aren't energy star compliant, smoke like a smoke stack, move too fast, and are a flying tank!

We need to find a fighter design that can do mach 3, can't be seen, cost's nothing, enriches the environment, is powered by solar power, and shoots "Nerf Balls" that show worldly solidarity.

197 posted on 04/06/2009 12:32:11 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, Question everyone else)
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To: Professor_Leonide

You base this opinion on what facts? Please, enlighten us all.


198 posted on 04/06/2009 12:32:27 PM PDT by papasmurf (Trow da' bum out!)
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To: edcoil

had my speakers turned up and WOW when it first came on.

No worries obama is using the money to form his civilian security force to match that of the military and no worries Acorn will get money

all is good in obama world, we won’t be attacked, we’re safer now. the messiah is here, and yep the world loves us.
So what if China, Russia and others are building their military we have our civilian security force in place soon

ARF


199 posted on 04/06/2009 12:32:30 PM PDT by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick queer sham--- end racism end affirmative action)
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To: jonascord

Are you in the U.S. Air Force?


200 posted on 04/06/2009 12:33:23 PM PDT by Professor_Leonide (I said to the young man who showed me a photo, "Who can ever be sure what is behind a mask?")
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