Is The Pentagon Making A Mistake Buying F-15 Fighters Instead Of More F-35s?

U.S. Air Force

Gen. John D.W. Corley (ret.), Business Insider/Defense News: The Pentagon is buying F-15 fighters instead of more F-35s and repeating past mistakes in the process


* The Pentagon recently announced plans to buy more F-15 fighter jets rather than F-35s.
* The decision to acquire more jets with older technology instead of the latest fifth-generation fighters is reminiscent of the decision to stop buying F-22s prematurely, writes retired Air Force Gen. John D.W. Corley.

On March 14, 2012, an American flag was flown aboard aircraft serial No. 10-4195 — the first flight of the last F-22 Raptor produced.

The fifth-generation fighter was of uncompromised design, born of capabilities to sustain the vision of the world's greatest air force and emphatically demonstrating that America would invest to protect its interests and counter global threats.

The flight attained an altitude of 44,000 feet, a speed of Mach 1.5, and a flight duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes, but the number that mattered for the F-22 program was 187.

Less than half the US Air Force and Air Combat Command's stated requirement would be built, dangerously shortchanging the capacity necessary to provide a potent, globally deployed, asymmetric deterrent against potential adversaries — shot down by senior Pentagon leaders as a "Cold War relic" and admonishing the Air Force as having "next-war"-itis.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The F-15 is not the F-35 .... it is a different fighter jet with different capabilities and I would say different missions. It is also a cheaper fighter jet to maintain and to operate. Not every conflict will require the F-35's abilities, nor afford the expense of using them.