F-22 Raptor?

Question

Do you think its a waste of money manufactoring these awesome planes? these planes rule, but i dont think we need to be spending so much billions of money making and testing these things and spend more on our current aircraft.

Answer 1

I think we need to be able to defend our country if we needed.

Answer 2

Planes wear out, technology advances. Better we have it then sit on our hands and wait for potential enemies to pass us by.

Answer 3

A lot of programs esp. defence and space exploration are quite a big waste of money. If you look at the current world situation where you have problems with rising fuel cost and many diseases like cancer and AIDS without a proper cure.

Other "superpower" nations like Russia, China etc will not engage USA in a war. We have tonnes of nuclear weapons.

The only enemies are crazy extremists and dictators. For these, A-10 and AC-130 will be great. F-22 is a bit of an overkill...

Answer 4

While fighter aircraft are designed with tomorrow in mind once they are operational they are used to their full extent even in peacetime. They are built to go into immediate use so pilots and crews can be ready at a moments notice to get the most of the aircraft as it's designed.  There were never any vast fleets of brand new fighter planes sitting around in case they are needed.  The go into service and wear out. The military begins to design the next generation of aircraft soon after a new one goes into operation.  They take years to develop.  

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The F-22 may be the last manned fighter.

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Answer 5

Raptor's a good deal.

Answer 6

Well, FWIW I agree with you especially regarding the F22.

The aircraft has been in development almost 25 years (!).  In that time, the primary mission it was designed for:  combating the Group of Soviet Forces Germany, has gone away.  One can talk about fighting China, but strategically the ONLY real issue is Taiwan, and that would be primarily a naval battle, with AF strategic assets (B1's, B2's, B52s) striking Chinese fleet formations, tactical missile launchers, and their integrated Air Defense System.  It's doubtful even in this scenario that there's enough of them able to maintain a sortie rate (another issue ignored by people who like to look at power/wght ratios, and weaponry; but CRUCIAL for an air campaign), that would severely dent the Chinese Air Force.

It's entirely possible to rebuild F15s, but screens on the intakes, redesign the vertical stabs, and put the F22's fire control system in them (the F15 was the testbed for nearly all the F22 avionics).

Even the USAF recognizes this:  remember the hoopla over the "F/A 22"?  That was to silence those who wondered about the usefulness of a single-mission jet when we're in a 4th Generation War.  Actually the aircraft has limitations, the problematic "super-cruise" is one.  Another is the lack of a full datalink capability to accept target cuing from other sensors. (The F35 does have this ability.)