Last July the US congress halted production of the F-22 Raptor. A fifth generation air superiority fighter the F-22 has no equal in the skies. The F-35 international strike fighter (by the same manufacturer Lockheed-Martin) is a distant second when it comes to capability and isn't rolled out yet. The cheaper F-35 may become the mainstay of American air superiority.
The F-22 was intended to replace America's aging fleet of F-15 air superiority fighters. The F-15 is outclassed in every way by the Typhoon Eurofighter but Boeing is desperately trying to update the aircraft and keep it relevant.
The threat the F-22 was supposed to address? 5th generation Soviet air superiority fighters, yeah you can see why congress may have thought the aircraft at $390 million a piece wasn't relevant enough to today's world.
However, the hitherto thought mythical fifth generation Soviet fighter is actually surfacing and the Russians have it. They will be rolling it out with a vengeance and sales to major players like India are already confirmed. Vladmir Putin claims this aircraft is superior to the F-22 in every way and a third of the cost to produce.
Maybe Lockheed-Martin can re-negotiate the price of the F-22?
The F-22 was intended to replace America's aging fleet of F-15 air superiority fighters. The F-15 is outclassed in every way by the Typhoon Eurofighter but Boeing is desperately trying to update the aircraft and keep it relevant.
The threat the F-22 was supposed to address? 5th generation Soviet air superiority fighters, yeah you can see why congress may have thought the aircraft at $390 million a piece wasn't relevant enough to today's world.
However, the hitherto thought mythical fifth generation Soviet fighter is actually surfacing and the Russians have it. They will be rolling it out with a vengeance and sales to major players like India are already confirmed. Vladmir Putin claims this aircraft is superior to the F-22 in every way and a third of the cost to produce.
Maybe Lockheed-Martin can re-negotiate the price of the F-22?
