Forum: F-22A Raptor

Joined: Dec 16, 2005 - 12:54 PM Posts: 0 Status: Offline

I totally agree with both of you LordofBunnies and 2sBlind.

This is why the US should not at least I would say for the next 10-15 years even think of taking a step to let a SINGLE DROPLET of core F-22A technical know-how let alone an aircaft itself go out of the US.

If the opposite was to happen and the F-22 did indeed get sold then a lot of risks that I can't even think of right now would become a definite reality.

Even if the country that does get does not become hostile towards the US there is still considerable danger for exploitation of the Raptor's core technologies even without that country's Air Force knowledge via spying/intel gathering measures or other undesired means.

Think of it for a while and you will see that I am not talking bananas.

These security considerations will have to be very seriously be addressed even for the USAF to very carefully see where the aircaft will be stationed if they indeed will be tasked to serve outside US soil like USAFE or PACAF for instance.

It is very sure that the USAF will need to address even the most basic security measures in bases where the jets will be stationed even if it is for temporary deployments only.

In addition, the actual employment of the jet to remote areas around the globe must take under consideration that a potential enemy may have gathered means for intel gathering so that they will be able to manage to get some knowledge for Raptor Operational Tactics.

I trust that the Raptor's technical qualities as well as the USAF procedures will prevent any of these totally undesirable events from taking place.

But I don't think that being careful and plan for potential risks is bad or naive.

Quite the opposite actually.

They will allow the F-22As superior qualities to prevail for longer.

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Absolutely right that we REALLY don't want to ever have to fight against this thing. It's bad enough that we brief the Tomcat as a threat because we sold them to Iran.... I can't imagine sitting in a brief talking about facing a Raptor for real.....

One thing I believe in: I feel VERY strongly that the F-22A should NOT BE exported, period.

Any export version of the F-22A would obviously be "downgraded". However I will not be comfortable for even a downgraded version to be in the hands other than the USAF. We have invested a lot of time, efforts, and funds to develop this aircraft and I would hate to see even a hint of it's secrets available to someone else. The ramifications could be devastating. Sorry.

Joined: Dec 16, 2005 - 12:54 PM Posts: 0 Status: Offline

Quote:

One thing I believe in: I feel VERY strongly that the F-22A should NOT BE exported, period.

Any export version of the F-22A would obviously be "downgraded". However I will not be comfortable for even a downgraded version to be in the hands other than the USAF. We have invested a lot of time, efforts, and funds to develop this aircraft and I would hate to see even a hint of it's secrets available to someone else. The ramifications could be devastating. Sorry.

My thoughts exactly. Scorpion1alpha is dead right.

RaptorFighterPilot,

You must of posted just before I did as I just saw your post. I'm glad to see that you and others feel the same as I do on this issue.

Okay, a few quick questions:

NVGdude wrote:

The U.S. Air Force is rethinking plans to retire its F-15 fighters because it is slated to receive only about half the number of F-22A Raptors it had expected, said Gen. Ronald Keys, chief of Air Combat Command.

The service, which is slated to buy 181 Raptors, had planned to retire many of its F-15 fighters in the coming decade, Keys said.

Now, it will have to replace the engines and upgrade more F-15s than planned. Even with that, he said, some of the airframes themselves will eventually become too old.

1. So, does this mean that the AF might also use the same strategy with the F-35 and not our retire Vipers? As they are (the USAF) also likely to end up with less than half the amount of JSF's as originally planned.

2. If the USAF does decide to keep their Eagles, how long do think it would take for the remaining Eagles to be considered "unfit to fly"?

3. Will 183 F-22A's (I've just heard that the Raptor is not officially designated as the F/A-22 anymore) be the final number, or is there a chance that the number would increase even more in an attempt to lower unit cost?

Even if I would love to see more raptors than the supposed 183, i don't think that there are insufficent. This plane is so good.

Beside, according to www.fas.org, there are now 342 F 15 A/Cs operational in USAF (45 F-15A/B Air National Guard Air Defense Force; 45 F-15A/B Air National Guard; 126 F-15C/D Air Combat Command; 90 F-15C/D Pacific Air Forces; 36 F-15C/D US Air Forces Europe).

Let's face it: if 342 F 15 C could handle the threats, do you really think that 183 F 22 will not ?????? (Well, there will be probably ~ 140, the rest will be spread at Nellis, Tyndall, Edwards, but still enough)

Forum: F-22A Raptor

Airforce want 183 raptors...