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Waco, given the current climate of world affairs, and the wars we are in now. Would an advanced F-15 do the job? All it has to do is drop bombs on terrorists.

The Eagle attained IOC in 1976, it is projected to still be in service through the next decade. Can you predict the threats the F/A-22 will face for the next 40 years? By the way it has kicked the crap out of every fighter in the current U.S. inventory and can survive in a double digit SAM enviroment, some lemon. I would also add that the Langley pilots spent last month practicing CAS.

Regards,

Murph

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Waco, given the current climate of world affairs, and the wars we are in now. Would an advanced F-15 do the job? All it has to do is drop bombs on terrorists.

Sure, while we are at it since we got computers that are powerful enough to do all that we can think of today we should just stop any further development. Just shut down the computer industry and we will be fine with what we have now for the rest of human existence.

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Waco, given the current climate of world affairs, and the wars we are in now. Would an advanced F-15 do the job? All it has to do is drop bombs on terrorists.

And what happens if that climate changes, when it takes 20 years total to field a new aircraft?

Dave

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But do you think 180 F/A-22's enough?

FWIW the USAF doesn't think that's enough; their minimum numbers are built around the AEF concept, and that calls for 350 or so Raptors.

Regards,

Murph

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IF they can afford it.

IMHO I dont think we'll get an export order for the 22 (I'll let someone else debate whether or not we should), based on how bloody expensive it is. Making new warplanes is an expensive business industry (why do you think some of them guys in europe got together over at the bar and made the EFA?), I hate this compareson, but besides us only the French have a new fighter in serial production. Now I'm not bashing nothin' here, but why spend X amount of $$$ on a new A/C thats all tricked out when you can get an upgraded one that gets the same job done for 1/2 or even 1/4X $$$?

In that respect I admire the Russians for taking newer technology and installing it into there current front line A/C. Gets most of the bells and hoo-hah of a new plane for a fraction of the cost. Same goes for the Turks with upgrading their F-4s. Imagine if you put TVC on a F-16?

But, I would love to see the proposed FB-22 and FB-23 fly!

Ves :unsure:

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Now I'm not bashing nothin' here, but why spend X amount of $$$ on a new A/C thats all tricked out when you can get an upgraded one that gets the same job done for 1/2 or even 1/4X $$$?

That's a big assumption, and generally not true. An upgraded F-15 would certainly be a terrific aircraft, but it still wouldn't have the capability of a an F-22.

In that respect I admire the Russians for taking newer technology and installing it into there current front line A/C. Gets most of the bells and hoo-hah of a new plane for a fraction of the cost. Same goes for the Turks with upgrading their F-4s.

That does occur as a matter of course, that's why there are the F-16A/B/C/D/E/F, the F-15A/B/C/D/E, the F-18A/B/C/D, etc... That's also leaving aside the improvements within the blocks ( through suites, spirals, etc..) that result in big changes in capability, but no designation change. The F-15C of today is far more effective than the F-15C of 1991. Sooner or later though the airframe reaches a limit for development and something new is needed.

Regards,

Murph

Edited by Murph
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In that respect I admire the Russians for taking newer technology and installing it into there current front line A/C. Gets most of the bells and hoo-hah of a new plane for a fraction of the cost. Same goes for the Turks with upgrading their F-4s. Imagine if you put TVC on a F-16?

But, I would love to see the proposed FB-22 and FB-23 fly!

Ves :o

One other aspect is considering the state of the Russian economy, they just flat may not be able to afford to develop a new aircraft, as much as I'm sure they'd like to. Sure, there's the Flanker-de-jeur and that MiG 1.44-a-ma-bob (Technology demonstrator I understand but I've also read/seen where it's the beginning of a new generation), but I'm not sure there's a Raptorski on the horizon anytime soon. Certainly the idea is being studied and worked on to a degree, but not with the idea of creating a MiG-45 or Su-47 within the next decade.

Another thing, Randy touched on it, is that by nature, technology is always looking forward. Thus, technological development must go forward to sustain the next-next generation. If the F-22 never was and the F-15 updated/upgraded ad infinitum, its eventual follow-on aircraft wouldn't have the Raptor and its technology to draw upon. And of course, there's always the risk that in the meantime something better may come off the drawing boards of a (Potential or overt) adversary.

There's also airframe life, which is finite. An airframe is a consumable good with limited extendability so re-winging, re-sparring, re-bulkheading, re-radaring, re-weaponing can only go so far.

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