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Another "praise the Raptor" article
- Thread starter Lonestar155
- Start date
invertedflyer
500 ft. from said obstacle
Well at least they made up their minds ... F-22 it is, thanks. They can leave the attack part to Navy and Marine Air anyway. he.. he... 
How long has the designation been changed back from F/A-22? It seems just a month or so ago it was still be called "F/A-22".
How long has the designation been changed back from F/A-22? It seems just a month or so ago it was still be called "F/A-22".
Capt Morgan's
Banned
Huggy,
I thought the reason the 49th Wing was loosing their 117's is because they are going to be replaced by the 22 with an AG capability thus the "A".
Has this changed?
VFA-203 Forever
So You Like To Put fishsticks in your mouth?
Well at least they made up their minds ... F-22 it is, thanks. They can leave the attack part to Navy and Marine Air anyway. he.. he...
It's been about year and a half since the designation change, I believe. Basically the USAF just slapped "F/A" on it to make Congress Ooh and Ahh that it had multi-mission capabilities and keep from axeing the program. Once they got funded for all the remaining jets, They dumped the A.
VFA-203 Forever
So You Like To Put fishsticks in your mouth?
No. HO is still getting Raptors to replace the Nighthawks. They are last in line, though. After the 90FS/525FS up at Elmo get theirs it's onto Hickam, Then Holloman. I was surprised no love for Eglin or Lakenheath, especially. Maybe if the Bean Counters let up for another squadron or two, The LN Eagle units will see the Raptor.
Yeah, they proved the thing could drop a couple of JDAMs, got the money from congress then killed the A side of things.
VFA-203 has the story right, at least as far as I've heard. The "F/A" was a political maneuver.
Although the USAF loves CAS/A2G (I think; if I wasn't a recce guy, I'd want to be an A-10 pilot), it is still run by an Air-to-Air Mafia, and they want the F-22 to be a pure "fighter",... whatever that means. The F-35 will be the air-to-ground guru.
Caveat: I don't follow the F-22 program's up's and down's 'cause I really don't care that much.
Although the USAF loves CAS/A2G (I think; if I wasn't a recce guy, I'd want to be an A-10 pilot), it is still run by an Air-to-Air Mafia, and they want the F-22 to be a pure "fighter",... whatever that means. The F-35 will be the air-to-ground guru.
Caveat: I don't follow the F-22 program's up's and down's 'cause I really don't care that much.
invertedflyer
500 ft. from said obstacle
Thanks for the info fellas. Makes sense. Maybe when the Marine Corps. gets the F-35 in 2071 we can start talking about it 
Capt Morgan's
Banned
I think the plan is for LN to get all of AK's "E" models why EG is getting snubbed is beyond me, that is suprising unless of course they could be getting newer "C" airframes from Hickam, sometimes those PACAF boys keep some shiny toys around that could be trading material.
VFA-203 Forever
So You Like To Put fishsticks in your mouth?
Eglin is also going to be the training base for F-35's, Apparently.
Could be the reason they got snubbed. So I don't know if that means the 33FW will switch from ACC to AETC or what. Time will tell when the Lightnin' makes it out of IOT&E in, Oh, 25 years as inverted mentioned.
Good question. Inquiring minds want to know....
Let me ask around.
Capt Morgan's
Banned
Sorry. I've been on convalescent leave for the past month. Today is my first day back at work.
I checked with Eglin: first F-35 showing up ~Jan 2010, and the 33rd Wing becoming an AETC wing about a year before that.
Remember: the 33rd Wing is a tenant unit at Eglin. Eglin will still be run by the Air Armament Center.
I checked with Eglin: first F-35 showing up ~Jan 2010, and the 33rd Wing becoming an AETC wing about a year before that.
Remember: the 33rd Wing is a tenant unit at Eglin. Eglin will still be run by the Air Armament Center.
Capt Morgan's
Banned
:icon_lol: :icon_roll rriiiiggghhhhtttt.....
Sorry couldn't help it, thanks for the update :icon_zbee
Mayday
I thought that was the recline!
I respectfully disagree. Or, more bluntly, HELL NO! The Air Force hates their a-g mission. If it weren't for Congress and the Army continually stuffing it down their strategic-bombing/stealth-fighter obsessed throats, they'd drop it like it has a horrible disease, and the A-10's would have been scrap-yarded years ago. The only reason they're begrudgingly accepting their version of F-35's with the continuation of the a-g mission is because it gets them more money...oh, and because the costs are being spread-loaded to the Marines, Navy, Britain, and other U.S. affiliates.
Capt Morgan's said:
Those 'PACAF boys' are about to get the local ANG 20 new F-22's (supposedly 2011), but for the last couple decades they've been stuck with A-model F-15's, first block. Shiny toys to the pilots maybe, because the thrust/weight is so good, but I wouldn't exactly call 'em trading material.
And final note, I don't know where you guys are getting this measly little $250m price tag. I have it on record that the going rate for an F-22 is $339 million per copy, when you include R&D and testing costs.