sferrin wrote:playloud wrote:Even suggesting it seems like it would hurt the F-35 politically.
Apples and oranges. (Of course the basement dweller crowd is all a twitter. I hope Copp thinks that means Australia still has a chance to get F-22s.

)
I didn't know Australia had a budget surplus to afford $250m jet fighters. The F-22 at the time was the worlds most expensive jet fighter in production. The "basement dweller" crowd conveniently forget that the reason for the F-22s increase in operational capability and availability is because of upgrades based on the F-35 and F/A-18E/F programs.
The F-22 Common Integrated Processor (CIP) upgrade in Block 30+ aircraft, is closer to the F-35 ICP (using PowerPC processors etc.), and parts of the mission software was backported from the F-35. The F-22 production line could not have been maintained while the F-35 mission avionics is developed.
The newer RAM coatings on the F-22 that significantly reduced the maintenance required were developed for the Super Hornet.
The improvements in production line technology, sensors and mission systems, pretty much dictates the F-22 would have to be redesigned into a 5.5th gen derivative, just for affordability.