Sunday, March 1, 2009

F-22 Raptor Imperative -- A Commentary

This Air Force F-22A Raptor that was at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa last month is one of 183 already flying or on order. The most expensive U.S. fighter jet ever, at $191 million each, it hasn't seen combat and President Obama is still deciding whether to order more. Itsuo Inouye/ Associated Press

From The Washington Times:

President Barack Obama must soon decide whether to order the building of more F-22 Raptors or let the production lines close. Only 203 of the aircraft described by the think tank Air Power Australia as "the most capable multirole combat aircraft in production today" have been built or ordered.

Support for the aircraft is not limited to defense hawks. Last month, 44 U.S. senators, including Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, sent the president a letter requesting an additional order of unspecified size to prevent the planned 2011 shutdown. Bowing to political reality rather than true military needs, the Air Force now claims it could possibly get by with just 60 more aircraft.

Read more ....

More News On The F-22

No decision yet on F-22 Raptor jets -- Honolulu Advertiser/AP
EA-18G Smokes An F-22 -- Strategy Page
Obama defense cuts could ground F-22 Raptor -- Amarillo.com
US Air Force gives Pentagon new F-22 purchase plan -- Reuters
DOD delays decision on Lockheed jet until April - -AP
Marietta F-22’s fate up in air -- AJC
Raptor in dogfight for its future -- USA Today
Fight intensifies over Lockheed's F-22 -- Orlando Sentinel
Lockheed Martin's F-22 might be in Obama's sights for cuts -- Star Telegram
F-22 funding decision pushed back -- Flight Global

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