Sec. Gates proposes an end to the F-22 Program

In my opinion, revamping the military to focus on small threats like such Afghanistan or Iraq is basically revamping the military to tackle yesterday's threats, not the threats of tomorrow.

I think those are the threats we will see the next 15 years, outside of the 4rth gen war that I also talked about. So I think that is where we should focus.
 
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I think those are the threats we will see the next 15 years, outside of the 4rth gen war that I also talked about. So I think that is where we should focus.

Fair enough, I disagree however. I agree we will continue to see threats similar to Iraq and Afghanistan, but I think that this should not cause us to forgo preparing for other threats that we will be facing, in my opinion.
 
I'm a bit disturbed by this. What other fighter do we have than can stand against Russian Migs?
 
The F-35. It is just not as quality in my view as the F-22.

Looks to me like there is a number of other governments using F-35s. Should we not be wanting to base our military on proprietary hardware, instead of what's being shipped all over the planet?

I think I'd rather scrap the 35 and keep the 22 for ourselves.
 
Looks to me like there is a number of other governments using F-35s. Should we not be wanting to base our military on proprietary hardware, instead of what's being shipped all over the planet?

I think I'd rather scrap the 35 and keep the 22 for ourselves.

Well, we are selling them the F-35 and making a lot of money doing it. That is part of the calculation I am sure, it certainly was during its design. Further, we are selling it to allies that we have a slim chance of actually fighting. And if we do end up fighting them, we still have 187 F-22s which can dominate the F-35.
 
I'm a bit disturbed by this. What other fighter do we have than can stand against Russian Migs?

It is also worthy to point out that the F-15 has never been shot down in air to air combat. While someone will point out that the F-15s didnt fair to well in a recent COPE INDIA exercise against the Indian SU-30s, the F-15s have since upgraded with helmet mounted aiming system that the Indians also have. But the American models are a serious improvement over what the rest of the world had, as well as the weapons are superior.

Then of course the F-18 is a very capable airframe, and the F-14 while it is mothballed is still the biggest, baddest, fastest model out there. The F-14 has also never been shot down in aerial combat.
 
We have been fully engaged in a global economic war at least since 1945, and we are losing.

While it is true that every F-22 we make strengthens us militarily, there is a tipping point where each additional F-22 weakens us strategically. I believe that Secretary Gates is aware of this and it is the basis for his decision.

Economics is called the dismal science for a reason.
 
Economics is called the dismal science for a reason.
............to true Sir, to true!

If I may chuck this into the air and see if it flies......:rolleyes:

Having a more than passing interest in the aviation game would you think that the production of much less expensive but no less capable unmaned aircraft (UAVs) are a better way to go?

Down sizing the military is always a subject especially with the military as their shinny expensive toys get taken away, however, extensive research and testing has gone into UAVs (look at MQ-9 Predator B) and you will note that the costs of these aircraft are a fraction of the cost AND less a highly trained pilot that is hard to replace!

In 2008 the New York Air National Guard 174th Fighter Wing began to transition from F-16 piloted planes to MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight, becoming the first all-robot attack squadron.

Retired U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General T. Michael Moseley said, "We've moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles before Operation Iraqi Freedom, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper.

As of 2009 the Air Force’s fleet stands at 195 Predators and 28 Reapers.
 
We have been fully engaged in a global economic war at least since 1945, and we are losing.

While it is true that every F-22 we make strengthens us militarily, there is a tipping point where each additional F-22 weakens us strategically. I believe that Secretary Gates is aware of this and it is the basis for his decision.

Economics is called the dismal science for a reason.
That would explain our present-situation.....seeing-as-how the last-eight-years were a product of NeoCon fairy-tales....where science (of any kind) was considered a dark-art.
 
............to true Sir, to true!

If I may chuck this into the air and see if it flies......:rolleyes:

Having a more than passing interest in the aviation game would you think that the production of much less expensive but no less capable unmaned aircraft (UAVs) are a better way to go?

Down sizing the military is always a subject especially with the military as their shinny expensive toys get taken away, however, extensive research and testing has gone into UAVs (look at MQ-9 Predator B) and you will note that the costs of these aircraft are a fraction of the cost AND less a highly trained pilot that is hard to replace!

I agree with you, as I pointed out earlier I think unmanned is probably the wave of the future in terms of fighter aircraft.

That said, I do not think that unmanned drones are (at present day) capable of doing the job of the F-22 or even the F-35 for that matter, but give them time and they will dominate both.
 
That said, I do not think that unmanned drones are (at present day) capable of doing the job of the F-22 or even the F-35 for that matter, but give them time and they will dominate both.
.....missions being run don't need these aircraft most current operations are being done with UAVs, helicopters and close air support aircraft.

Aircraft could get much more sophisticated and lethal if you take the soft squiggy thing out of the front seat. Aircraft are limited in their flight charateristics simply because the human needs to be protected and supported. Computers limit the flight profiles of aircraft because the pilot simply cannot keep up it and the usual problem of high G loadings can incapacitate a pilot whilst a perfectly good aircraft "impacts with terrain"

The more sophisticated aircraft get the more limited become the people that can fly them and the more expensive the training becomes. All it takes is a head-set and a joy stick in a room thousands of miles away and any geek can be an ace fighter jock!
 
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While I would agree that UAVs certainly are the future, I am still not sure how I feel about most of the planes not having a human in direct control. While I know that human pilots are the weak link when it comes to g-forces and such. But there is something to be said for having a human in the cockpit with that much more situational awareness.

I certainly wouldnt want to be a passenger on an airliner without a human pilot in the cockpit.
 
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