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2005-04-01 Home Front: WoT

WSJ: Pentagon Has Approved F/A22 Full Production

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Posted by too true 2005-04-01 12:53:13 PM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Good, strike missions can be handled by RPVs, but to gain air supremacy requires a man in the cockpit. F-15s and 16s are getting old and are not stealthy. When we go up against China in the future, we'll need this plane to counter their advantage in numbers.

Posted by Steve 2005-04-01 1:20:31 PM|| 2005-04-01 1:20:31 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 We can ignore the build numbers, because once this line is started, it will be hard to shut down till the plane loses consistently to UCAVs. Then there will be the export market.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-04-01 1:54:02 PM|| 2005-04-01 1:54:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Mrs Davis - Exports with a magic "off" switch hopefully. :)

Posted by Laurence of the Rats 2005-04-01 2:13:01 PM|| [http://www.punictreachery.com/] 2005-04-01 2:13:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 I dunno Mrs. D. Once upon a time I thought the rapid approach the 40th birthday of the buffs would keep the B1-B in production. Having not learned my lesson I later thought the rapid approach of the 50th birthday of the buffs would keep the B2 line open. I predict the DOD will get no more than 1/3 of the F/A22s they've requested.

Posted by AzCat 2005-04-01 2:31:41 PM|| 2005-04-01 2:31:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Give us Brits a few .. I am embarrased that our pilots are still flying around in scrap metal ...

Preferably without a magic "off"

Posted by MacNails 2005-04-01 3:11:41 PM|| 2005-04-01 3:11:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 When I mean give ... I dont mean for free :p ( our military is not quite yet a charity case !)

Posted by MacNails 2005-04-01 3:13:43 PM|| 2005-04-01 3:13:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Don't the Brits have too many fighters that they are committed to buy? I read somewhere that the UK gov is trying to sell off at least half of the 232 Typhoons even before they are delivered? Last I heard, the cost is now over 80 million euros a copy. Then there is the upcomming F35 buy.

Posted by ed 2005-04-01 3:40:55 PM|| 2005-04-01 3:40:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Unfortunately the MOD hasnt much foresight when it comes to purchases , and as a joint venture we felt obliged to buy Typhoons , to show how good they are (insert laughter here )
As regards the F-35 (although I confess to knowing little about it ) I feel we would get more use out of the F-22 ...
Then again , the MoD knows best , right ?

Posted by MacNails 2005-04-01 3:52:26 PM|| 2005-04-01 3:52:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I think the F35 buy is for the two planned large deck carriers (and maybe the existing Harrier carriers). There is no alternative to the vertical takeoff F35 since the two carriers are not scheduled to have catapults (last I heard). This is really interesting because without catapults, the carrier won't have any E2 early warning and control planes, thus becomming a really big version of a Harrier carrier.

Posted by ed 2005-04-01 4:11:36 PM|| 2005-04-01 4:11:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 BTW the planned F35 buy was 150 planes and the British were a tier 1 partner (specification input, part of the design and build work)

Posted by ed 2005-04-01 4:18:07 PM|| 2005-04-01 4:18:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 My feelings are that we have enough VTOL fighters , and they are handy and versitile , but we need supplimentry air support to complement what we do have ( a complete overhaul of air defence would be a financial disaster). The F=22 in small numbers would be more beneficial especially in todays operational enviroment of *cough* *splutter* rapid response.

Posted by MacNails 2005-04-01 4:23:12 PM|| 2005-04-01 4:23:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Aye , I remember a story about you having stability problems with the VTOL system of the F-35

Posted by MacNails 2005-04-01 4:25:22 PM|| 2005-04-01 4:25:22 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 The British large platform carriers may have a "cat capable" build... whatever that means. Meanwhile sell them some F-22, give some to the IDF and allow Japan to buy all they want. And the Aussies cut 'em a deal, they need 24... you will note ima bring down unit costs. Give Canada a nice picture and a few airshows, unless they can find the dough, thisn the big time.

Posted by Shipman 2005-04-01 5:01:03 PM|| 2005-04-01 5:01:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Ship, throw in a US-citizenship special offer to the remaining skeleton of the Canadian armed forces who are disgusted at the situation there.

Posted by too true 2005-04-01 5:11:43 PM|| 2005-04-01 5:11:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 British large platform carriers ..

Hehe very funny Shipman ....

Posted by MacNails 2005-04-01 5:14:01 PM|| 2005-04-01 5:14:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 It means catapults can be retrofitted. This seems foolish since they are starting with a partially capable carrier. The bow has a ski slope, so only the side landing strip can later accommodate a catapult. Hope they angled the deck enough so that a fully extended E2C won't hit the ski slope on launch.

Posted by ed 2005-04-01 5:18:50 PM|| 2005-04-01 5:18:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 I'm all for selling the F22 to the UK, Japan, Australia. But I think the current build price around $110-130 million. Any additional quantities won't lower the cost that much. Then factor in R&D cost, some of which the USAF may want to recoup on any overseas buy.

Posted by ed 2005-04-01 5:24:00 PM|| 2005-04-01 5:24:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 Ship, throw in a US-citizenship special offer to the remaining skeleton of the Canadian armed forces who are disgusted at the situation there.

Right after they march on Ottawa.

Posted by AzCat 2005-04-01 7:08:48 PM|| 2005-04-01 7:08:48 PM|| Front Page Top

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