While I wouldn't be surprised if they were in theater in a couple areas, what use would an air superiority fighter have against any country we have been shooting stuff at in the past 20 years? Seems like most of them haven't had much in terms of air defenses, much less aircraft.

Coming up with, and having a deployable useable asset are two very different things. I'm sure everyone has dreamed of the submersible drone carrier at this point, but that is an asset we clearly haven't got yet.

I can see where you draw the parallel, but that was a weapon system in an active military environment, involved in a war threatening the existence of all the involved nations. This is a weapon system serving much more of a deterrent role. Who would consider attacking any US allies or interests where there might be a…

All of those are capacities with enormous technical and international relations roadblocks (you want to piss off the world? Suggest weaponizing space). They will undoubtedly be used eventually, but we don't have those capacities now, and this sort of weapon system is needed until we do. You have somehow looked past…

I agree, that is the biggest issue, most people are only considering the situations where we only need weapons that can outdo a taliban 'air force' or other militaries which have essentially no air capabilities. Which of course isn't the case, and not the point of an air superiority fighter anyway.

Not toe to toe, what you defined was that they had an untested capacity to deny a theater of operation to carrier battle groups. That isn't the only force projection tool in our deck, and those denier capacities have vulnerabilities as well. More importantly it is only useful where ever they can move that weapon…

The great war was called such because most living at that time believed it was the last war that would ever be fought.

Actually yes, in an air combat situation there are multiple threats. One is the opposing fighter craft, the other is the often enormous and multi-layered ground defense systems. The F22 platform provides significant improvements in both, not to mention there is a direct relationship between control of airspace and…

exactly. It's not the 'miles flown in sorties' that gives a weapon system it's value, it's the sorties not flown because other countries knew their aircraft couldn't accomplish tactical strikes or provide air cover to mobilized militaries against us, our allies, or interests that provides value... Which is an…

Those are certainly big numbers, but without something to compare to, (lifecycle cost of an F15/16/18) it is difficult to grasp the meaning.

I think originally everyone expected the chinese to move quickly from super cheap export dependent economy to a consumer economy, which would have been a huge boom for all. That is seeming less likely to happen anytime soon, as they keep finding bus fulls of rural farmers interested in working for pennies in…

#1 That's how you start tarriff wars you numbskulls. You know, the reason we haven't been putting huge duties on your products the past 20 yrs. What's worse is they must be aware that their growth or die economy depends on the sucking sound they hear overseas for their products. If we start making their products more…

"crossing a busty highway on foot. "

Total ban? Completely unrealistic, it's become a center-piece to American business and culture to be connected to your work and friends at all times during the day. Requiring hands-free? Not particularly reasonable, as most studies (according to other comments I read below lol) apparently show the difference between…

mmmm steering muffin... aagghhghh

well that's disappointing

Yesss, yesss, embrace your hatred matt Hardigree, it will focus you, make you stronger! muhahahaha

But seriously, that's an apt point.

THISLISTIS BS!

Well that's pretty much awesome. Now, how long until we can fill a runway with autonomous drones carrying the same firepower on a smaller platform?