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Pentagon to end F-22 production
The Hill ^ | April 6, 2009 | Roxana Tiron

Posted on 04/06/2009 10:52:31 AM PDT by jazusamo

In a blow to Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon has decided to purchase to end funding of the F-22 fighter jet.

The decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates will rouse widespread opposition in Congress and is likely to bog down the 2010 budget approval process, with F-22 supporters maneuvering to secure more money.

The Pentagon will fund four of the radar-evading stealth fighters in the upcoming 2009 emergency war-spending request, but those additional aircraft will do little to keep the production line in Marietta, Ga., open beyond 2011. Lockheed Martin is the main contractor for the F-22, each of which costs about $140 million.

Gates announced the decision at a press conference on the Defense budget on Monday afternoon.

No money will be requested in the fiscal 2010 budget, congressional and industry sources familiar with the budget briefings told The Hill. Gates has been making calls to the chairmen of the congressional defense committees.

The final F-22 of the 183 currently on order will be delivered at the end of 2011. Building another four would keep the line open for only a few months beyond that end date.

Lockheed Martin and its subcontractors, including Boeing, in recent weeks have stepped up their campaign to keep the production line open. They argue that 25,000 people work directly for the 1,000 suppliers of the F-22 in 44 states, and another 70,000 indirectly owe their jobs to this program.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: 0bama; 0bamaisfailing; 65grendeldotcom; aerospace; agenda; airdominance; bho44; bhodod; defensespending; f22; gop2010; idiocracy; ignoranceisstrength; lockheedmartin; palin2012; raptor; rookie; secdefgates; usaf
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To: jazusamo

In a related story:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2223344/posts

We send dollars to China for products, China sends them to Russia for oil. Russia uses to money to build weapons. We stop building weapons.


61 posted on 04/06/2009 11:27:47 AM PDT by henkster (0bamanomics: "I'll loan you all the money you need to get out of debt.")
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To: Professor_Leonide

If the WoT was our only concern, you might have a point.


62 posted on 04/06/2009 11:28:19 AM PDT by NinoFan
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To: jazusamo

Regardless of the pros and cons of the F-22 it was forgone that eventually warplanes would price themselves out of the market. $140 million for an F-22 is apparently farther than the Congress will go. Maybe now a few Generals and Colonels will have to get real jobs after they retire.

We didn’t think that this ever increasing weapons cost could go on forever? Apparently the Perfumed Princes and their pals at Lock-mart thought so.


63 posted on 04/06/2009 11:28:27 AM PDT by Seruzawa (Obamalama lied, the republic died.)
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To: Professor_Leonide
Maybe the Air Force should be next on the chopping block. It would be poetic justice.

Russia and China are not going anywhere, prof. You'd do yourself a favor by passing these type threads.

64 posted on 04/06/2009 11:29:34 AM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...

F-22 necessary for any pre-emptive strike on Iran
upi | 4/24/09 | upi
Posted on 03/24/2009 3:00:18 PM PDT by Flavius
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2213772/posts

Stimulate Economy with F22 Raptor Jets
Crimson Politics | 2/4/09 | Brian Kane
Posted on 02/04/2009 4:00:25 PM PST by Crimson Politics
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2178515/posts

Is American Air Power on the Verge of Collapse?
Defence Insights | February 2, 2009
Posted on 02/04/2009 8:38:43 AM PST by pobeda1945
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2178195/posts

What will Obama do about the F-22?
star-telegram | Dec. 29, 2008 | BOB COX
Posted on 01/01/2009 4:14:24 AM PST by pobeda1945
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157124/posts


65 posted on 04/06/2009 11:29:47 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: Professor_Leonide; buccaneer81; Travis T. OJustice; NinoFan; Admin Moderator
Maybe the Air Force should be next on the chopping block. It would be poetic justice.

The man is a troll.

Sir,


66 posted on 04/06/2009 11:29:51 AM PDT by bill1952 (Power is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: Professor_Leonide

Considering that China is expanding their armed forces and the Russians are continuing to upgrade their air armaments, your statement is illogical.

They are as much a deterrent as anything else, and as soon as they are surpassed by manned or unmanned fighters we look to be left up the creek without a paddle.

The F22 is far from a boondoggle. Just because it has not YET been used for its intended purpose does not mean it never will see combat as intended.


67 posted on 04/06/2009 11:30:00 AM PDT by Pox
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To: Professor_Leonide

You haven’t answered any of your accusations with proof. Only your emotional, empty, insipid rhetoric. I pray you live to see the day you regret your vacuous words regarding the USAF and the necessity for continual air superiority. Because you never know when you’re going to need it. And if you’ve been hiding under a rock the past ten years, the Chinese, Pakis, and yes, Russians to mention a few, have been upgrading the crap out of their AF’s and defensive systems. Terrorists hiding in caves aren’t the only enemy.

Jeez, go back to “professing” something you know about because you obviously don’t know jack $h!t about the USAF and air superiority.

SZ


68 posted on 04/06/2009 11:30:40 AM PDT by SZonian (I'm a Canal Zone brat)
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To: microgood

“I understand its capabilities, but I was just hoping with a lot of orders the manufacturing process could be improved to drive the costs down. Maybe it will happen down the road.”

You can’t drive the costs down on only 183 birds that are over 100 million each. Do you recall that they originally spoke of over 800 F-22’s? THEN you can bring the prod costs down.
You apparently do NOT know its capabililties or you wouldn’t be shaking your head at $140 million each. It is unparalelled on the planet. But don’t ask me how I know, because I won’t tell you.

It will NOT ‘happen down the the road’ (naive). The Oboy is going to squash everything this country has ever stood for - particularly in the areas of advanced technology. This should be clear to you already.....unless you are into stem cell research from aborted babies.........


69 posted on 04/06/2009 11:31:10 AM PDT by 2Wheels
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To: SumProVita; HardStarboard; BradyLS; Ernest_at_the_Beach; dervish; Twotone; Free ThinkerNY; ...
The List, ping

(Thanks to Jet Jaguar for the heads up)

70 posted on 04/06/2009 11:31:30 AM PDT by Nachum (the complete list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: jazusamo

That sucks.. smells.. and hurts us long-term.


71 posted on 04/06/2009 11:31:49 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed.)
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To: jazusamo

I do look forward to the day when the One brings us no more nuclear weapons. Then we can get back to fighting wars the same way we did in World War II. That was going just peachy before someone had to go and explode a nuclear weapon. /s


72 posted on 04/06/2009 11:31:51 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: Seruzawa

Obama’s “mission” is to destroy American superiourity.

Military

Financial

Moral

He is pleased that you are distracted by shiney objects.


73 posted on 04/06/2009 11:32:08 AM PDT by Crim
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To: Professor_Leonide
Besides, you can’t fight terrorists with the F-22 - It was designed to shoot down the best and brightest Soviet fighters around. Well, they ain’t around and soon neither will be the F-22.

What in the hell makes you think we're just going to be fighting terrorists from now on? When the day comes (and it will eventually come) that we cross swords with someone that has a real military and a real air force, we're going to wish like hell we had a system like the F-22 to deploy against them.
74 posted on 04/06/2009 11:32:11 AM PDT by JamesP81 (When Obama signed an order providing tax dollars to murder children, he stopped being my president)
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To: buccaneer81
So they can be deployed against Obama's relatives? Never in a million years would the messiah allow that.

No, Israel would not use the f22 against Kenya.

75 posted on 04/06/2009 11:32:45 AM PDT by brainsalad
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To: jazusamo

gotta’ fund community activism somehow /s


76 posted on 04/06/2009 11:33:14 AM PDT by Gene Eric
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To: jazusamo

If I could get into the parking lot at Lockheed I’d put this article under the windshield of every single car in the lot with an Obama sticker.


77 posted on 04/06/2009 11:33:24 AM PDT by numberonepal (Don't Even Think About Treading On Me)
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To: 5thGenTexan

Exactly.

You’ll find lots of support here for giving Welfare to the MIC.


78 posted on 04/06/2009 11:33:28 AM PDT by Boiling Pots (The Politicians think we're all stupid, and they're largely correct.)
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To: Professor_Leonide

Are you being sarcastic or are you just a stupid man?


79 posted on 04/06/2009 11:34:01 AM PDT by jveritas (God Bless our brave troops)
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To: Professor_Leonide
Are we on the same planet?
China and Russia are both helping our opponents in the War on Islamic Terror. Keeping air supperiority over the Su 35/37 is damn well necessary for the WOIT. We can afford 21 Billion for 150 more of these.
80 posted on 04/06/2009 11:34:14 AM PDT by rmlew ( The SAVE and GIVE acts are institutioning Corvee. Where's the outtrage!)
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