Goodbye F-22 program. We hardly new ye.

[Tejas-Jet]

It ain't over till it's over, boys. Lets not forget that when Dick Cheney was the Sec of Defense, he wanted the V-22 Osprey cancelled...and cancelled the program more than once....the congress overrode his decision more than once.

 

[propsarebest]

CSAR-X cancelled

C-17 no more production

That little bit disturbs me the most, especially the CSAR-X program getting the boot.

And we need MORE C-17's...

 

[lowtimedriver]

If the Air Force would have awarded the "other" airplane the contract, there would be squadrons full of the F-23 as we speak. The "other" plane was a better airplane, but no thrust vectoring.

 

[ableone]

What? The Air force turn down an expensive feature so that they could afford more airframes? It would be the first time.

Text of Gates' speech.
http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1341

 

[motch]

And we need MORE C-17's...

No we don't...
Just modify all the C-5 B's to M's and be done with it...

Motch

 

[SIG600]

Since 2006 US military spending has been greater than the rest of the world combined. That is not sustainable over time. Our deficits are also a threat to national security.

Yet up and coming countires such as India, China, Russia, etc continue to develop and procure serious 4-4.5 generation aircraft that are a tangible threat. Not only that, but collect lots of them, for a lot less money than we're spending. It's our system that's broken, not our technology. Think how much we could build the F-22 for if we'd stop changing requirements/technology/micromanagement/testing testing testing before we approve.

 

[propsarebest]

No we don't...
Just modify all the C-5 B's to M's and be done with it...

Motch

That's fine, and the -M is a GREAT airplane, but there still is a massive shortage of airlift in general...

 

[pilotyip]

Second Time

What? The Air force turn down an expensive feature so that they could afford more airframes? It would be the first time.

No it happen in 1940 when the Army Air Corp wanted newer more modern airplanes with the latest gadgets and latest technology, FDR told them you would take what we give you. Robert Lovett, ex Navy pilot, and first basically Sec of Air Force, wrote a paper and said you will win WWII with quantity and not quality. FDR gave William Knudsen the go ahead to assign aircraft production to the auto companies. When this happened three years later an avalanche of airplanes rolled out of the factories. We won WWII with 1930’s aircraft. This over whelmed the quality of the bad guys.

 

[DaveGriffin]

It ain't over till it's over, boys. Lets not forget that when Dick Cheney was the Sec of Defense, he wanted the V-22 Osprey cancelled...and cancelled the program more than once....the congress overrode his decision more than once.

My bet is that Sec Gate's F-22 and Missle Defense cuts will be reinstated by Congress. Both programs account for a lot of jobs.

In these days of trillion $ expenditures, what's a few more billion $ (when jobs is the name of the game)?

 

[El-Rushbo]

If I were pres I'd tell them to pick me up in whatever they have available. no special helo needed. A uh1 or blackhawk would be fine by me.

Same for AF 1. Why pay for that type of stuff. I'd rather spend the money on more or better weapon systems for the guys getting the job done. A C-5 or C17 would be fine by me, eveyone pile in. Domestic travel = C-9.

Along the lines of the F22, ref. the F-35. Do we (and the UK) really need a VSTOL (F-35B) version? I think the program would be better off with an AF and Navy version.

Marines need the STOVL version to operate from forward bases, unimproved airfields and the LHAs. The Royal Navy also operates predominately from carriers withour catapults or arresting gear and also require STOVL F-35s.