“The F22 isn’t invisible like the F117”

Not according to the Dutch pilots:

What are you talking about? Get caught using a hmmwv or any military vehicle off post for anything even close to getting lunch or cruising will get you in crazy amounts of trouble.

It’s expensive, sure. Could it have been produced for less, probably. But, think about all of the people the manufacturer employs. Think about all of the employees the suppliers have. Like it or not, the defense sector does create jobs and is probably one of the last American business sectors that still maintain a…

If you’re feeling left out, you can buy an Oshkosh truck to get an idea of the general quality. This is up for auction tomorrow for example:

And yet if these will be used like Humvees, the vehicle they’re “replacing”, they’ll be heading off base for lunch in them, cruising down the highway here and there, etc.

HAAAA!

Short answer: A lot.

F-22s, when delivered to the squadrons, they were delivered with a “Bill of Sale” of sorts that listed the final cost of that aircraft.

Early production F-22s ran an average of $130M per copy. By the time the last ones were picked up from the factory, the price per Raptor was down to $101M per…

A Public Service Announcement from the local truck geek:

The hills are alive with the sound of music and the blood of fallen soldiers.

The sea of lava & molten metal below is where Putin’s Dacha used to be....

Right, and the Shuttle program was the model of government efficiency with no cost overruns, development delays or performance compromises. I work space too (sorta). Some things are just hard and cost more time and money than originally expected. Anyone who works the “space side of aerospace” should be well aware of…

Man, I love this picture. Makes the Raptor seem even more futuristic and other-worldly than it already does.

Could be worse...

Above: the best use of this sentiment in recorded history.

Counterpoint:

Gawker headline missed opportunity: "FLORIDA MAN VISITS HAWAII, LIGHTS TONS OF KEROSENE ON FIRE, THREATENS TO FIGHT CHINA"

Seeing all those planes might be a reason to TAKE a vacation there.

Because ANG pilots are cheaper than active component. They maintain the same flight hours at a fraction of the cost. The reserve vs active component strategy isn't sbout ability as much as it is rapid deployment. You want some front end active units to deploy first, and then equally competent RC units to follow them…

I won't dive into why the phrase "already serving in the ANG" is offensive to Air Guard folks, but I'll just say that the HI ANG is the only Guard unit that "owns" their F-22s. The other ANG unit that is flying F-22s (Virginia) flies jets that are assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing (active USAF) at Langley. Hawaii is a…