Goodbye F-22 program. We hardly new ye.

[lowtimedriver]

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.

Ah, we were losing the air war in Europe until the P-47D and P-51 were introduced.

 

[lowtimedriver]

On topic, Lockheed has had nearly thirty years to get the F-22 right. They failed miserably. It was a botched design (avionics) from the get go.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Gates' argument isn't cutting what we don't need, it's cutting what we don't need the most.

Number one funding boost on his list was life improvements for veterans and troops fighting the current conflicts. I love the F-22, I think we need at least 300 of them! and I think we need 250 c-17s! C-5m's are great, but there is simply no comparison to how much loot a C-17 can put into an assault zone or onto a drop zone consistently. If you want to shove a brigade or two up Kim Jong's A** a ton of C-17's are a must. In addition to that, these airframes are getting used like a cheap hooker in downtown Fayetteville after payday.

It hurts, but Gates is shifting our dollars to where they ought to go when considering the problems right in front of our face.

I'm just glad I'm not headed to UPT. It's going to be hard to get into a cockpit of any kind, and stay there for very long. Get your microsoft flight sim disks out boys!!

 

[Russ]

he wanted the V-22 Osprey cancelled...and cancelled the program more than once....the congress overrode his decision more than once.

Relevent, however remember it was in large part the strong Marine influence on the hill that forced the issue. After the recent missteps in acquisition, I wonder the USAF's ability to force the issue.

 

[pilotyip]

Not True

Ah, we were losing the air war in Europe until the P-47D and P-51 were introduced.

Not true, we were not really engaged in the air war in Europe until late 1943. Even up to that time we were never denied the use of any airspace due to Lufwafe action. Even before the P-51s showed up the German's were in deep trouble. We were trading a B-17 and its crew for a ME-109 and coming out ahead. By April of 1944 the German Air Force was a non-factor. Then true air superiority existed over all of Europe.

 

[Schwanker]

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

Contract the airlift out to the 747F or other commercial operators. They are way more capable/efficient than a C-17 for strat air and the lift is out there. The C-17s can focus on their short airfields/airdrop/grunt support/tactical ops/inter-theater airlift. Contracting out the pond crossings would free up C-17s which are heavy and inefficient compared to commercial operators on a strat air mission.

Schwanker

 

[SIG600]

You guys haven't talked about the real cost of this cut. No more bonus money.

Guys are going to jump ship like rats on a burning ship.

 

[pilotyip]

You guys haven't talked about the real cost of this cut. No more bonus money.

Guys are going to jump ship like rats on a burning ship.

but when you jump ship there are no jobs to jump into, however a burning ship will keep you warm.

 

[DaveGriffin]

but when you jump ship there are no jobs to jump into, however a burning ship will keep you warm.

They can jump into all those new DOD Purchasing and Requisition staff positions that are being created.

 

[jetjock6]

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.

And so it begins...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/09/dodd-caught-crossfire-calls-halt-f-production/