Thursday 21 February 2013

Military Planes

Military Planes Biography

On 21 July 2009, President Obama threatened to veto further F-22 production.[79][80] On 21 July 2009, the Senate voted in favor of ending F-22 production. Secretary Gates said that the decision to end production was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities.[81] On 29 July 2009, the Air National Guard's director asked for "60 to 70" F-22s for air sovereignty missions, noting that these could lack capabilities such as ground attack.[82] On 30 July 2009, the House agreed to remove funds for an additional 12 aircraft and abide by the 187 cap.[83] In mid-2010, Gates reduced the F-22 requirement from 243 to 187 aircraft, by lowering the preparations for two major regional conflicts to one.[84] President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 in October 2009, without F-22 funding.[85][86]
RAND estimated the cost of restarting production to build an additional 75 Raptors to be $17 billion or $227 million per aircraft.[87] However Lockheed Martin has said that restarting the production line would only cost $200 million.[88] The RAND paper was produced as part of an USAF study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).[89] The tooling for F-22 production will be documented in illustrated electronic manuals stored at the Sierra Army Depot.[90]
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern; General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, wrote in a 2009 letter to a senator, "In my opinion, a fleet of 187 F-22s puts execution of our current national military strategy at high risk in the near- to mid-term". But Gates replied "Nonsense".[91] On 8 January 2011, Gates clarified that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted when the number of F-22s was set, and that the United States would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays.[92][93] On 11 January 2011, China's J-20 stealth aircraft made its first flight,[94] leading to speculation on the reactivation of F-22 production;[95][96][97] An August 2008 RAND study concluded the F-22 would only play a minor role in a conflict with China over Taiwan as nearby bases would be rapidly shut down by medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs); and distant bases would rely upon vulnerable aerial refueling tankers
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