More budget cuts for F/A-22

[Slammer2]

Looks like they're cutting more money from the Raptor program. The 28 aircraft that the Air Force are already operating are still grounded after the crash last week.


follow the link for the full story


http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7201567&pageNumber=0

 

[46Driver]

From the article:

About $40 billion has been spent on the F/A-22 program to date. The Air Force put the current cost per plane at $256.8 million with developmental expenses factored in, and $133.3 million with those expenses excluded.

 

[kmac]

Next thing you know, they'll be making F/A-22E/F's. I guess they'll have to call them Super POSh*ts.

 

[Flash]

Anyone catch the exercise last year w/ AF F-15's flying against India's SU-30's? There's also a good article on that around the same time. Anyway, the general summary was that the USAF lost, BAD. I'm just a little suspicious as to the timing of them losing this exercise so badly and publishing the results at the same time that the F-22 is up for major budgetary reviews. We all know that the AF hates to admit any kind of inferiority, so that makes the possibility of an alterior motive that much more likely in my opinion. Could they have thrown the game to get their new toy?!?

I recently read an article on that excercise and it was not all that it seemed at first. The Indians were allowed a 3 to 1 ratio in the fights with a mix of SU-30's, Mirage 2000's and their upgraded MiG-21 'Bisons'. There were also rules that restricted the use of some of the Eagles toys (radar, etc), I believe they limited BVR engagments. That being said, the article went on to say that the Indians were very innovative and adjusted their tactics when they did not work, sometimes in mid-fight. The fact that the Indians have been able to develop their tactics on their own for decades, they have no major alliances, have allowed them to innovate out of the rest of the worlds eyes. They apparently flew unlike our allies and most of our enemies. The F-15's also did not bring their Gucci birds with the helmet mounted sights and phased array radars that particular sqadron had (they were from Alaska).

The article was posted on the Early Bird about a month ago, I am too lazy to find the particular one right now.

 

[zornundo]

Talking about the high costs of the F-22 to date, anybody got any info on the new JSF?

 

[Fly Navy]

Anyone catch the exercise last year w/ AF F-15's flying against India's SU-30's? There's also a good article on that around the same time. Anyway, the general summary was that the USAF lost, BAD. I'm just a little suspicious as to the timing of them losing this exercise so badly and publishing the results at the same time that the F-22 is up for major budgetary reviews. We all know that the AF hates to admit any kind of inferiority, so that makes the possibility of an alterior motive that much more likely in my opinion. Could they have thrown the game to get their new toy?!?

Like Flash said, it was a bullsh!t exercise. The USAF F-15s had major restrictions placed upon them. The media jumped all over it because they don't have a clue in hell. However, like Flash said, the Indians did show some unique adaptation in a dynamic fight. That's the real news in the story, not the USAF being beaten, which was basically set-up that way.