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If so that would be only enough for roughly 100 PAI aircraft at best(ie four 24 plane squadron). If I understand the way taht works correctly.

Dont like it not one bit.


Report: Pentagon planning cuts to fighter jet program
Wednesday, December 29, 2004 Posted: 10:46 AM EST (1546 GMT)

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The Pentagon is planning sharp cuts in the Air Force's program for its new F/A-22 fighter jet in a move budget analysts said was intended to offset mounting U.S. deficits and the growing costs of the Iraq war, Wednesday's New York Times reported.

The newspaper said the Pentagon's decision, which four administration and Congressional officials described on Tuesday and which Congress must still approve, comes as the Bush administration is pressing all agencies to scale back spending requests for the fiscal year 2006 budget, which will be submitted to lawmakers early next year.

The U.S. Air Force has estimated the total F/A-22 acquisition program for 277 planes will run about $72 billion, making it the most expensive fighter jet in history. The aircraft, known as the Raptor, is due to enter service in December 2005.

Dennis Boxx, a spokesman for the plane's manufacturer and the nation's largest military contractor, Lockheed Martin Corp., said the company had not been notified of any changes in the program's status.

The Times said the Pentagon had told the White House and Congress about the planned cuts, although senior Pentagon and Air Force officials were still discussing details.

The newspaper quoted leading industry analyst Loren Thompson as saying the program could be ended after producing about 160 aircraft. He said the proposed cuts reflected "the convergence of severe budgetary pressures imposed by the Iraq war with some long-standing preferences among senior policymakers for less emphasis on conventional weapons programs."

Defense Department spokesman Eric Ruff declined to discuss any specific decisions on the Raptor program, the paper reported, but said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had spoken with lawmakers in recent days "to discuss long-term modifications to the tactical fighter programs."

Ruff said the Pentagon's proposals ensured that the F/A-22 and another aviation priority, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, "would remain healthy."







Edited by - rickusn on Dec 29 2004 3:13 PM

Disappointing news for the USAF and Raptor folks but I think reducing the buy is okay. I should preface my comments by saying I don't know that much about fighters.

But it seems like we do need a state-of-the-art next-generation fighter but need such a fighter more as a hedge to use in select cases and have ready in the future than as a day-to-day machine ready to use in the near-term against another large AF. Only having four to six operational Raptor squadrons is acceptable in my lay view.

"Steady boys. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance" - Major General John Sedgwick's last words on May 9, 1864, just before he was shot dead by a Confederate sharpshooter



Edited by - ViperTTB on Dec 30 2004 05:13 AM

I'll believe it when i see it.

<b>"You got me all wrong Mudd...i don't like anyone.</b><img src=newicons/saevil.gif border=0 align=middle>"
<img src="http://worldaffairsboard.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=862&stc=1" border=0>

And a week ago, a Raptor crashed and burned on the landing field...
<i>hmmm...</i>