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The F-22 Raptor is a fascinating aircraft, which already has a long and interesting history.  Now to be fair, I should disclose that while I don’t work on the program itself, the people that do are just down the hallway.  So I’ve kept up on this program for quite awhile now.

Although the F-22 program is possibly on the chopping block, Captain Ed makes the case that the F-22 makes for a wonderful stimulus program, and he does make a lot of good points.  However, this is nothing new.  The F-22 has been on the chopping block literally since the very very beginning, even back when it was still an experimental program.

There are a lot of reasons for this, none of them having to do with our current economic worries or any stimulus program.  The F-22 has had a rather lengthy development process, complete with cost overruns and underperformance, both almost requirements for a defense project.  But probably it’s biggest liability is it’s cost, at close to $200 million per aircraft it’s not cheap.  Although to be fair a lot of that skyrocketing cost is due to political nitwits and an ever diminishing total order number.  Originally 750 were ordered, the total order now stands at 183.

The F-22 Raptor is supposed to be the replacement for the F-15 Eagle, and a fine replacement it is.  But it is also a very close cousin to the F-35 Lightning, which is another liability it carries.  The F-22 is an air superiority fighter, that could also perform a strike role if necessary.  The F-35 is a strike aircraft that can also function as an air superiority fighter.  The F-35 is by far the cheaper of the two aircraft.  This is due both to it’s development costs being paid by several countries, but also because much of the necessary technology was already developed for the F-22.  So it’s tempting to wonder if the F-35 could perform both roles.  Technically yes, but no aircraft can be all things and do all of them well.

The F-22 is also a victim of it’s era.  When Lockheed won the contracts for the F-22 and F-35, the rest of the industry decided to put their money on UAVs and that field has skyrocketed.  It is probably not unlikely that the F-22 and F-35 will be the last manned fighter aircraft ever produced.  For politicians that are easily distracted by shiny things, a new technology is a fascinating and tempting choice.

Whether there is an actual need for the F-22 is also frequently cited as a reason to consider it’s termination.  Critics will argue that there is no need for a big expensive next generation fighter aircraft when there is nothing for it to fight.  I mention this last because it’s the stupidest reason, as it’s critics seem to forget that’s exactly the point.  The Su-27 fighter emerging throughout the world is the match of both the F-15 and F-16, and more if in the hands of a competent pilot.  The F-22 makes this angle less than appealing for any potential enemies, such as China, Russia, Iran, etc.

So it’s not that anyone has rejected the F-22 as not economically stimulating, but rather it’s been on the verge of death for at least a decade.  Really it’s only been the political game playing of Lockheed management that’s kept it alive.  Such as farming out work to other defense contractors, thereby instantly procuring the use of the lobbyists for the entire industry.  Plus the positioning of production facilities in politically advantageous has given it cover in Congress for years.

Which by no means should imply that the F-22 is not a worthy program.  It extends the air superiority ability of the United States for at least another generation.  It has also served as a platform from which to develop new technologies that have already been put to use elsewhere.  In that sense, the F-22 has been the incoming tide that has caused all boats to rise.  It also keeps alive airframe production lines, which at the very least retains some of our nation’s industrial capability.  The aircraft itself quite frankly kicks ass.  In wargames, it’s racked up impressive victories…including one case were 12 F-22s downed 108 adversaries, with no losses themselves.

Should the F-22 be a stimulus project?? No, it works as that, but it has benefits enough to stand on it’s own two feet.  Continue the program and enjoy the benefits that are all the more appealing because of our recession.