What part of “F-22 already has a pretty impressive, unique strike capability, filling some very specific requirements for the Combatant Commanders. Based on the success of F-22 operations in Syria, I think the Raptor’s strike capabilities have been fully validated.” did you not understand?
Uhhh....it is a thing. Those are the squadrons that are equipped and trained to go into combat (as opposed to being staffed with instructors and students, or test pilots). Thus, “combat coded.”
Uh huh, right. After reading your post about combat-coded not being a thing, I think that’s exactly what you’re doing. Keep banging those rocks together.
the F-22 is an air to air superiority fighter pure and simple.
And you know that how exactly? Iraq didn’t have S300s in 1991 or 2003, nor did Bosnia in 1999. On the other hand, we DO have an S300 and we use them in RF exercises. They routinely kick the shit out of A-10 flights (because the Hog drivers refused SEAD, bragging “Oh no, we’re A-10s, they can’t see us when we’re that…
Yeah, I didn’t waste my time on his article on USMC IOC because I knew it’d be a whining bitch-fest. IOC is never the end; it’s just a step in the process. Hell, it’s in the first word of the acronym - initial.
That is precisely the justification for LO aircraft such as the Raptor.
SA-10s are manageable and with F-22s and stand off weapons, they’re not awful. SA-20s become seriously challenging, especially in a narrow AOR like the Persian Gulf. SA-21s (S400)? A state like Iran could target aircraft in most of the Gulf States …
I never saw a delivery ticket higher than $130M, and those were for the earliest jets delivered to the first training squadron back in 2006. Delivery price for one of the last production jets picked up at the factory was $101M.
I haven’t seen any of the paperwork on any F-35s delivered to Eglin, Luke or Hill, so I…
Too bad the Gates behind it all won’t share that same sentiment. Then again, that’s the same guy who fired a Marine leader who advocated an alternate engine for the F-35 after Gates nixed such plans.
Sorry but I’ve seen the delivery tickets with my own eyes. Each Raptor got one when it was picked up from the factory. There’s a wall of them framed and hanging on the wall of at least one Raptor squadron. Careful with your use of the L-word.
We needed to pay for an increasingly expensive occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Early F-22s were built at $129M per copy. By the time the last F-22s were picked up at the factory, they were down to $100M per copy.
Never going to happen. Marines hit IOC last month, they’re tracking towards FOC. USAF and USN aren’t far behind. We passed the point of no return a long time ago.
You left out the part about Russian made IADS. For example, Iran is taking delivery of the S300 system. Right now, there are only two aircraft that can operate in that environment, the F-22 and B-2, and we don’t have enough of either to go around hunting all those mobile launchers.
F-22’s primary mission may be A2A,…
USAF leadership “went sour” on the F-22 because Gates set a very clear example of firing anyone who disagreed with him publicly, and not just the USAF.
Behind the scenes, everyone in the AF was on board with 381 Raptors (and the situation in this article is exactly why), but when Gates started asking for resignations,…
This is Boeing’s investment, not the DoD’s. Boeing doesn’t have any 5th gen fighter orders. Super Hornet production will end soon. They’re just trying to drum up business to keep the production line open a little longer. If Saudi Arabia (which has an increased missile payload on their new F-15SAs) or South Korea or…
No American fighter aircraft has ever been shot down by a fighter in Russian service. However, plenty of American fighters have been shot down by aircraft made in Russia.
There was no shortage of air defenses put up by the Iraqis in 1991, or the Bosnians in 1999, and we used cruise missiles in both cases.
As for the…
March-April 1999, (Operation Allied Force), USAF F-15s and F-16s shoot down shoot five Bosnian fighters, mostly MiG-29s
March-April 1999, (Operation Allied Force), USAF F-15s and F-16s shoot down shoot five Bosnian fighters, mostly MiG-29s