Do We Need More F-22s?

F-22s

From Information Dissemination:

I really like this Greg Grant article on DoD Buzz. It lists out the talking points for the F-22 and highlights many of the flaws in some of the arguments made for supporting the platform. However, the article also has a paragraph that I believe is where serious consideration is warranted on the F-22 program.

The oddest thing about this whole debate is that it’s not about whether or not to develop and produce the admittedly impressive air-superiority fighter. That has already happened. The F-22 is operational and current plans are to build the final of 187 Raptors by 2011. The argument F-22 advocates make is that 187 is not enough and that only by buying more Raptors will strategic catastrophe be avoided in what has become the ultimate “bean counting” game, conjuring memories of measuring the NATO vs. Warsaw Pact balance, with the difference, of course, that no adversary currently exists to bean count against.

Read more ....

My Comment: One thing that I enjoy about editing and running this blog, is using history as a guide to explain today's geopolitical/economic/military decisions. In particular, I have always stated that our economic strength and prosperity has a direct impact on maintaining security and a defense readiness that would give pause to any other nation in the world who may contemplate pursuing an adventurous foreign policy. As long time readers of this blog know, I have always used examples from the Romans to the height of the British Empire as a tool to prove my point.

If there is a geopolitical trend that concerns me, it is that hostile powers are now starting to accumulate an economic strength that approaches our own. Once this is achieved, all bets are then off, and our decisions become very limited. History gives numerous examples of what happens to countries whose military decisions fall short of what their military strategists have told them are necessary.

I feel that we are approaching that world today. Our economic weakness .... which is getting worse .... will only embolden hostile countries .... who perceive themselves as getting wealthier .... to proceed with courses of action that will almost always lead to conflict.

Information Dissemination has written an excellent post that outlines all of this, using the F-22 as his example of where we are going. The only thing that I do not like about his post is that he wrote it .... I am jealous that I did not. If you have 10 minutes to spare ... this is a must read. The comments that others have posted are also a must read.