Decision By Administration to Cut Defense Programs

[JC5123]

But defense budgets would not be a problem if we were not fund social security for illegal aliens, at will abortions for irresponable teens, and giving welfare to people who have no stake in the system. The one fundamental role of government is to protect it's citizens. Everything else is secondary. This is what liberals CANNOT OR WILL NOT understand. I am getting fed up with the attitude that no one in the rest of the world could possibly want to do us harm. Gee I kinda thought 9-11 would have changed that thinking.
How quickly we forget, after all the lip service paid to the notion that "We will NEVER forget".

[Neon Knight Anubis]

I agree with cutting the F22, its overpriced and outdated. I'm sick of hearing that the plane was around $150 million per plane, after some research I found out that with a combination of inflation, almost a decade of delays and the bureaucratic BS that has gone on over the years the actual cost was around $330 million per plane. Not a good investment. The JSF, aka the F 35 is a lower cost plane that can be adapted to the demands of the mission, that is if it works.

The F22 is a great plane but there are a lot of other things we need before we invested over $300 million per unit for a fleet of fighter planes that have not even seen combat yet, too much blind faith. Now, if the F22 actually does see combat and proves its dominance (which, amazingly, the F15 still does) I think we should revisit the decision under better economic conditions. Getting the current a**hole-in-chief out of office first would be a start.

Now on cutting missile defense, that's a real Whiskey Tango Foxtrot decision.

[Rastus]

JC5123 you are right on the mark with the social programs.

NKA, I disagree.  Dominance is something to maintain, not to regain.  The Raptor does a really handy job of cleaning up F-15's in mock battles when grossly outnumbered, with no reason to disagree with the results.  That having been said, if politicians won't cut social programs and lets the front line equipment fall into a status where it can't be used we're better off with something less capable that works.  Sort of the the F-18 replacing the Tomcat which was a maintenance hog.

Cutting MDA and desires to cut MDA is really stupid....just goes to show what kind of leaders we have.   If you haven't, take a trip to the MDA website and look around and see how the European Star Wars Station doens't directly threaten Russian missile launch capabilities.

Oh by the way....did ya'll hear about the Chinese carrier killer missile...Mach 10???  Do you think BHO will support countermeasures??  Do you think the Chinese will not export them to, say....Iran?

What a wonderful time to have a loser as President.

[mudman]

Son of a bad word. Millions have not forgotten ,we see very clearly. What are we able to do, nothing short of violence will stop these people. They have 4 years to destroy our country to the point of no return. They cain't pay for defense but paid out 200 million in bonus money to Fanni & Freddy empolyees. They should be in jail , not getting a bonus.  BIGGEST THEFT IN HISTORY IN 100 DAYS and nobody is stopping them. Give up the nuke's and get NUKED ,is more like it. Give up your gun's and get gunned. But give up the  FIGHT , never ,forget  never. Which plane who care's ,making my country vunerable to attack. You betcha. Defense of the NAITON is their job.

No clue who they are dealing with.

[tombogan03884]

NEON, Remember that part of the increased cost is due to the fact that the $ has lost so much of it's value between the start and now. Also that higher figure includes not JUST the plane on the runway, but also spare parts, maintanance systems development and training and continuing R&D programs.
I used to think the same way, but my Mother was a civilian AF employee involved in QC systems. She used the $600 Coffee maker as an example. Mr. Coffee is $20, but the one the AF needed had to fit a particular free space in a given A/C, had to be Stainless steel, had to work at 40,000ft, there would only be 10 made, and a bunch of other details that could not be met by a standard coffee maker, each one drives up R&D costs and eventual unit price.

[Sponsor]

[Neon Knight Anubis]

I know, its a superbly built plane and I do see the need for it, I also I may have come off stronger than I intended. Maybe it is just me. I'm 25, the tech being used in this plane is almost as old as I am, in terms of technology that's Jurassic period stuff and at the price tag it just looks like we need to do better. I actually would have preferred to scale back production rather than cut it altogether because our many of the older F 15s are showing their age and they need replaced. Particularly the the single seater A models, the two seater model E Strike Eagles seem to be doing fine.

But as long as we have these entitlement programs I'm surprised we can repair our A10's.

[Rastus]

...
But as long as we have these entitlement programs I'm surprised we can repair our A10's.

A-10...now that is a purpose built machine. 

[tombogan03884]

A-10...now that is a purpose built machine. 

Thats been retired twice already. 

[Rastus]

Thats been retired twice already. 

Isn't that a crime...it should have been replaced with an updated model if nothing else.  I used to love to watch the Coon Ass Militia drill with those things between Bell Chasse and Venice, LA.  Made the drive up the road on crew change day a lot more eventful.

[tombogan03884]

Back in 47 when the National defense act was being drawn up the Air force should have gotten "Strategic Air Forces" while "Tactical air force" should have been left with the Army. The Marines have an advantage over the Army in that Marine and Naval aviation is strongly geared toward supporting ground forces while the Air Force has neglected or down played it's responsibility to support Army operations for 60 years. AF had to be FORCED to accept the A 10 as doing their job, low and slow is not "Glamorous" to the Mach six club that has run the Air Force.