Martin
07/12/2005
This shows only how limited is author´s perspective and knowledge of fundamentals.
The tragedy of US fighter acquisitions is neither F/A-22 nor F-35, but super failure called F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, program that slipped inside the budget in early nineties and its nonsense-factor was noticed only by few aviation experts and politicians (like sen. Feingold), who were basically ignored, with strong help form Boeing. “Super” Hornet, meant as “interim” solution for 35 million a piece, is closing 100 million USD per single aircraft (including research and developement), when offering little or no advantage over aircraft it replaces. Being clearly inferior to main threat aircraft - Su-30 (either MKK or MKI) in all aspects, safe for avionic suite, it turnes naval aviation into colonial peacekeeping corps.
The fact that 47 billion Super Hornet program took money that could have been used for viable 5th generation jets like F/A-22 or F-35 is basically overlooked, but it is a fact. USAF fights hard for their F/A-22, and they are doing the best they can. As F-35 is tri-service bastard, it reminds meny people of F-111 failure and only representd USAF back-up plan.
Therefore, the wisest solution of QDR would be to cut F/A-18E/F production right away and allocate money for both F/A-22 and F-35, and let Navy wait for naval F-35.
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