F-22 DOA

Unless someone comes to their senses and allows the F-22 to be sold to Japan and Israel the Senate vote on Tuesday effectively ends the production run of the F-22 Raptor. While I have never been a big fan and the FMC numbers and other data back up my earlier complaints not buying more is a huge mistake for a couple of reasons. First off 187 birds is simply not enough to ensure Air Dominance in any future conflict especially with the F-15C getting extremely long in the tooth. The other big reason to keep building is it keeps highly skilled workers on the job. If we can spend billions on Government Motors and the joke that is known as Chrysler we can surely build another 100 Raptors

Hat Tip: Ace Of Spades

"The Senate on Tuesday voted to strip $1.75 billion on seven additional F-22 jets that President Obama said was unnecessary and would doom a $680 bill authorizing defense spending plans for the coming fiscal year.
The 58-40 vote prevents Obama from carrying out a threat to use the first veto of his presidency if senators had kept the designation in the defense bill.
...According to Lockheed Martin Corp., the main contractor, 25,000 people are directly employed in building the plane, and another 70,000 have indirect links, particularly in Georgia, Texas and California. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., a supporter of the program, said there are 1,000 suppliers in 44 states.
Dodd, speaking on the Senate floor last week, questioned why Congress should approve $65 billion to prop up the automobile industry but can't spend $1.75 billion to support an important segment of the aerospace industry."