godofthunder9010 said:
You're expecting all US inovation to cease between now and 2010? And truly, if you think the F22 is "a piece of shit" well back it up with some reasons. You've got me curious now.
Ok the F-22 hasn't had much wide use because of all War planes are becoming quite expensive, The Air Force PIlots I know prefer the F-16 to the F-22.
Time..at almost 16 years old..how many Air Force Pilots do you know? We are just curious on this one.
I'm also a navy Brat who doesn't want to see the F-14 decommissioned, I know that once the JSF starts to roll in they are going to Unilaterally decommision them.
Unfortuantely..there are very valid reasons for the F-14s retirement. Except being updated and maintained perfectly, the F-14As face some problems that restrict flying operation today: As every aircraft, the F-14 was designed for a certain number of airframe hours. With some F-14As being in service for up to 27 years, a lot of airframe hours were accumulated and some F-14s will be out of business soon. Airframe structural integrity is not guaranteed any longer and cracks in the structure might occur sooner or later. To prevent this, F-14s are limited in flight operations, especially dogfighting (with high g-loads) is no longer possible with every F-14 since they may not exceed a certain g-load! Especially the wingbox's show their age: Cracks occur more and more often.
Its all that salt and hard usage..remember, Air Force has pilots..the Navy has aviators.
I know the F-22 is a good fighter for what it is, and it's innovations cannot be taken for granted.
THe JSF as I said will be the most versatile fighter ever constructed especially the Marine Corps. Version because it will be VTOL capable.
PLus I think that the Raptor is quite ugly, the tactical advantages in the F-22 are great, but I just don't like the plane it's pretty much that simple.
Well its ugly. so is an A-10. so is a F-111. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...right up until the time ugly erases you from the ground or the sky.
And I know for :cen: sure that US innovation will not stop by 2010, but I know this we need to allow our planes to have life instead of selling them to other countries.
This is my opinion the F-14 is awesome.
-Time
IRT 1217-
THe JSF will not be combo of those two planes, why well the F-16 is a single turbine engine and the F-15 is double turbine, well the main difference is there is one more afterburner on the F-15.
The F-15 cannot do vtol.