Originally Posted by
BDGERJMN
First of all there are many things F-22 and F-35 bring to the table that Eagles/Vipers/Hornets don't, there's reason #1. Reason #2, why support cuts for a program that already has so much invested, what you're collectively saying is, yep we can write off the billions already spent, and shift that money to new spending? Are you serious? I suppose you're a proponent of cutting out carriers as well just because they are the single biggest line item in the DoD's budget?
Let me ask you this. What cost benefit(long term) is gained by cutting F-35 at this juncture? Will this platform not be needed at some point down the road, only at a much higher price? What do you say to all the countries who have paid billions for portions of JSF as their platform of the future? Thanks for playing/paying, but we're done with it.? This platform is not just going to be utilized by the US as F-22 is.
I'm very serious and don't go off the deep-end by making suggestions on what I may or may not believe (ref. carriers).
I think my point was valid. UAVs are the wave of the future and pilot-less aircraft bring more to the table than manned ones. As a pilot, I don't like it, but it is the future.
We also need to look at what other countries know. Technology wise, their fighters can't hang. However, when they throw mass numbers of old cheap technology in the air, even the F-22 is a sitting duck.
We need to start looking at our total force and deciding where the money is best spent. The previous USAF administration sold people, parts, and planes to buy the F-22. Now we we realizing just how destructive those cuts have become.
Ironically, we still don't have a tanker replacement for the KC135s and our KC10s have just as much flying time as the KC135s. And how many of our big airplanes are GATMS compliant? The FAA will probably give us an exception to operate, but, I wouldn't hold your breath on ICAO.
These are just a handful of big issues with even bigger pricetags that have been put on the back burner while we sold out for the F-22.
-Fatty