Will the F-22 go back into production?
On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately …
Why did F-22 stop production?
The complaints ran along two, interrelated fronts: onerous costs and limited usability concerns. Part of the problem is that there is no universally agreed-upon way to calculate the F-22’s price. The Raptor’s fate was sealed when, with President Obama’s support, the Senate voted in 2009 to stop further F-22 production.
Should the Air Force replace F-22s with F-35s?
The service could replace F-22s with additional F-35s for less money than it would take to develop a new fighter. The Air Force’s budgetary problem has been a long time coming. Spending on new planes peaked at $29 billion in 1986 when the military still was preparing to wage war with the Soviets in Europe.
Should the F-22 production line be restarted?
Therefore, a conversation regarding restarting the F-22 production line should include an analysis of what capability and capacity is needed in order to achieve air superiority in future highly contested environments.
How old are the Air Force’s F-15 and F-16 fighters?
The 1980s spending spree created a “bow wave” in the Air Force’s inventory. In 2018, roughly 1,500 of the service’s 5,500 aircraft — including most of its F-15 and F-16 fighters — were between 26 and 35 years of age.
Should the F-22 export compete with F-35?
“Just as F-22 production would compete for fiscal and contractor resources with other Air Force programs, any F-22 export would compete with FMS customers’ resources as well, including countries already committed to F-35 purchases.