F-22 program taking heavy bureaucratic fire
There’s a bureaucratic and public-opinion war going on in Washington over the fate of the highly sophisticated but highly temperamental F-22, assembled up the road in Marietta. Defense Secretary Bob Gates and others trying to halt the expensive program fired a telling volley “from beyond visual range” in this morning’s Washington Post:
“The United States’ top fighter jet, the Lockheed Martin F-22, has recently required more than 30 hours of maintenance for every hour in the skies, pushing its hourly cost of flying to more than $44,000, a far higher figure than for the warplane it replaces, confidential Pentagon test results show.
The aircraft’s radar-absorbing metallic skin is the principal cause of its maintenance troubles, with unexpected shortcomings — such as vulnerability to rain and other abrasion — challenging Air Force and contractor technicians since the mid-1990s, according to Pentagon officials, internal documents and a former engineer.
While most aircraft fleets become easier and less costly to repair as they mature, key maintenance trends for the F-22 have been negative in recent years, and on average from October last year to this May, just 55 percent of the deployed F-22 fleet has been available to fulfill missions guarding U.S. airspace, the Defense Department acknowledged this week. The F-22 has never been flown over Iraq or Afghanistan….
“It is a disgrace that you can fly a plane [an average of] only 1.7 hours before it gets a critical failure” that jeopardizes success of the aircraft’s mission, said a Defense Department critic of the plane who is not authorized to speak on the record. Other skeptics inside the Pentagon note that the planes, designed 30 years ago to combat a Cold War adversary, have cost an average of $350 million apiece and say they are not a priority in the age of small wars and terrorist threats.”
The entire piece is pretty damning, both in terms of the reliability of the F-22 and what its problems say about the Pentagon’s weapons-acquisition process. You should read the whole thing, but here’s a taste:
“Its troubles have been detailed in dozens of Government Accountability Office reports and Pentagon audits. But Pierre Sprey, a key designer in the 1970s and 1980s of the F-16 and A-10 warplanes, said that from the beginning, the Air Force designed it to be “too big to fail, that is, to be cancellation-proof.”
Lockheed farmed out more than 1,000 subcontracts to vendors in more than 40 states, and Sprey — now a prominent critic of the plane — said that by the time skeptics “could point out the failed tests, the combat flaws, and the exploding costs, most congressmen were already defending their subcontractors’ ” revenues.
John Hamre, the Pentagon’s comptroller from 1993 to 1997, says the department approved the plane with a budget it knew was too low because projecting the real costs would have been politically unpalatable on Capitol Hill.
“We knew that the F-22 was going to cost more than the Air Force thought it was going to cost and we budgeted the lower number, and I was there,” Hamre told the Senate Armed Services Committee in April. “I’m not proud of it,” Hamre added in a recent interview.
Sprey and Thomas Christie, also cited in the piece, are renowned as advocates of effective air power and reform of the Pentagon’s overly politicized contracting system. They were colleagues of the infamous Col. John Boyd, maybe the best fighter pilot this nation has produced and a man who helped revolutionize air strategy and military theory. Their story is told in Atlantan Robert Coram’s book “John Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War.”
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135 comments Add your comment
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:12 am
It’s a shame because, DANG if that isn’t one gorgeous plane. As the daughter of a Marietta L-M engineer (retired), I’m sad to see the F-22 go, but as an American taxpayer, I say we need to put our $$$ where it is cost-effective without compromising national security.
oh, and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
July 10th, 2009
8:14 am
A “news” paper that has blogs that can’t reload the most recent comments takes a foray into state of the art weapons procurement.
OK.
Who do you believe, the socialists that want the US dead and buried or the company that has provided us with the most devastating weapons ever designed, with a history going back to the Super Fortress World War 2 winning bombers?
hmmmmmm
Mrs. Godzilla
July 10th, 2009
8:16 am
COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY OFF TOPIC
have a smile this morning…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQcVllWpwGs&feature=player_embedded
Kamchak
July 10th, 2009
8:17 am
“Too big to fail.”
The definitive phrase of of this century.
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:24 am
Whiner –
“who do you believe … ”
your comment makes absolutely no sense. how about “who do you believe – the analysts who are experts in aeronautics or the company that wants the multi-billion dollar contract”. hrmmmmm …
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:26 am
kamchak –
“The definitive phrase of of this century”
we’re pnly in year nine … I’d stick with the “phrase of this decade”
Road Scholar
July 10th, 2009
8:29 am
Yeah, everyone wants a Mercedes, but most can’t afford one. Same with our Air Force. It’s a nice to have; not a got to have. Why can’t the other planes used be upgraded, as they have in the past. Now is not the time to waste money.
FinnMcCool
July 10th, 2009
8:31 am
USinUK can see the issue.
Just move on to the next fighter plane design….or are the engineers out of ideas?
FinnMcCool
July 10th, 2009
8:33 am
It’s like owning a Jaguar: You have to own 2 so you have one to drive while the other one is in the repair shop.
retiredds
July 10th, 2009
8:37 am
So, Whiner, if we don’t build 22 more F-22’s to keep Saxby in office, the US is going down in ruins. Sorry, pal, I think that’s a stretch.
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:37 am
Finn –
g’morning!! anyone who knows engineers knows that they are NEVER out of ideas … “I wonder what would happen if we changed the angle on this … maybe we can improve that … ” … of course, dad can’t operate the car stereo, but that’s a different story …
I’m more of an Aston Martin girl, myself, so I’ll just have to take your word on the Jags
ByteMe
July 10th, 2009
8:40 am
Finn: I thought the second one was to cannibalize for parts.
Angry Black Man
July 10th, 2009
8:43 am
So whiner, do you advocate fiscal conservancy except for military procurement? And how do you suggest we pay for the ever-expensive F22, do we raise taxes? Cut Social Security? Cut farm subsidies?
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:48 am
“And how do you suggest we pay for the ever-expensive F22, do we raise taxes?”
war bonds.
or maybe a bake sale.
FinnMcCool
July 10th, 2009
8:48 am
I guess I Report wants you to cut his taxes and also wants to rail on the Obama administration for spending money like a sailor in port….but, hey, a lil waste in the military is quite alright.
hehe, ByteMe: How do you get spare parts for a Fiat? Follow another one around.
Kamchak
July 10th, 2009
8:48 am
USinUK
We’ll see. “Too big to fail” walks hand in hand with “it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than ask permission.”
Matilda
July 10th, 2009
8:53 am
Hey USinUK! I totally agree. That is one COOL-azz plane! Luuuuv watching them zoom over… get all goose-pimply. All those associated with the F-22 should be proud that they made one totally cool-azz plane.
But when it’s time to move on, it’s time to move on. Cost-benefit realities should not be ignored for reasons of pride and/or convenience. It would be easier for LM and the community to just keep doing what they were doing and getting paid for it, but it’s time to re-think, re-tool, and build something else. There’s no disrespect in that.
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:54 am
Kamchak –
““it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than ask permission.”
that saying is eternal!
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:59 am
Matilda –
you’re right – the F-22 really is a sight to see – but, then, so are the old cars from the 1950s with the fins and the roadsters with the wooden panels … that doesn’t mean that we should still be making them today.
my question for the class is, when does fiscal responsibility override GA jobs??? Does Saxby Chambliss have a greater responsibility to the country to be fiscally responsible with the Pentagon budget or does he have a greater responsibility to the people of GA to keep them employed.
just curions about your opinions …
ByteMe
July 10th, 2009
9:00 am
Whiner has no answers, no need to keep asking him. He has only snark. That and strings and sealing wax.
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
9:00 am
… man, my typing is for crap today … that should be curioUs … and above should be Only … (glad it’s Friday)
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
9:01 am
ByteMe – don’t forget chewin’ gum
Normal
July 10th, 2009
9:01 am
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
8:54 am
““it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than ask permission.”
————-
That is the story of MY life…
————–
Good Friday Morning, all…
Brad Steel
July 10th, 2009
9:01 am
What a shock to see the budget hawks whip out our tax dollars when it comes to wasting money on an antiquated cold war concept.
If the cold warriors need money for cool military hotrods will new rims, make’m sell their old stuff on eBay.
I hear the bombs that Reagan sold the Iranians are running low – could be a hot eBay market niche.
ByteMe
July 10th, 2009
9:01 am
USinUK: Saxby is a whore, so his job is to put out for the big corporations of Georgia so he can keep raising money and keep his job.
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 10th, 2009
9:02 am
Demand War Reparations from Saudi Arabia,Iraq, North Korea and Argahnistan, after we NUKE THEM!
Normal
July 10th, 2009
9:03 am
USinUK: Let’s bring back the Spitfire, throw a couple of missles on ‘em
and let ‘em rip…
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
July 10th, 2009
9:03 am
ABM- Cutting the subsidies to Acorn would be enough to pay for the whole entire fleet of F22’s.
Who are you kidding?
Normal
July 10th, 2009
9:04 am
But Gandalf, Nuking them is SOOOO messy…
George American
July 10th, 2009
9:04 am
Better to spend our tax dollars on making this country strong, safe and proud. Than on some welfare mothers or other BS democrat social program.
Cut ALL of the democrat programs and we will have plenty on money to return America to a superpower.
ByteMe
July 10th, 2009
9:05 am
USinUK: Saxby was went on the attack when the INS went after a south Georgia farm for knowingly employing illegals. Then when the anti-illegal tide came in, he claimed he was always for keeping illegals out of the country. Such a whore and idiots here voted for him.
ByteMe
July 10th, 2009
9:05 am
Normal: nuking is only messy if you have to clean up afterward.
Normal
July 10th, 2009
9:06 am
George, we make America great by showing the rest of the world what’s right, and how to do it…
Bosch
July 10th, 2009
9:06 am
Isn’t one of the problems with the F-22 that it isn’t – um, can’t quite think of the word, but useful, or relevant anymore?
Gandalf, the White! (The Ryhmin' Rastamon!)
July 10th, 2009
9:06 am
BRAD STEEEL
HERES THE DEAL
YOU THINK
YOUR IDEAS ARE WHITTY
WE KNOW
THEY ARE $H!TTY
WE WISH
THAT YOU WEREN’T STAYIN’
GOODBYE!
AND THANKS FOR PLAYIN’
Bosch
July 10th, 2009
9:07 am
ByteMe,
You’ve made me spit out my Cheerios this morning with the whole “Saxby is a whore” bit.
Thanks!! I couldn’t agree more!!!
Kamchak
July 10th, 2009
9:07 am
“that saying is eternal!”
Yeah, but it leads to things like cost-overruns and cover up.
Bosch
July 10th, 2009
9:08 am
Oh, and USinUK,
Excellent show!!!
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
9:08 am
Normal –
I live very close to a couple of the air fields that defended London in the Battle of Britain (one of them being Biggin Hill) – they put on a great air show every fall, so we get to see Spitfires and Lancaster bombers on an annual basis. and, yeah – they are just curvy and gorgeous (completely different from the angular F-22, but a thing of beauty nonetheless).
I tell you what, though … the sound of a Lancaster bomber going over our house was shocking in a rattle-your-sternum sort of way … I can’t even imagine what the people of England (and western Europe) thought when they heard dozens of them flying overhead. It must have been thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
George American
July 10th, 2009
9:09 am
Normal,
ByteMe
July 10th, 2009
9:09 am
Bosch: such a waste of Cheerios to end up on the table like that.
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
9:10 am
Bosch –
huzzah!!! I’m so glad you like it –
and I see you guys are getting Survivors, too! also very good, in a The Stand kind of way.
George American
July 10th, 2009
9:11 am
NORMAL,
LET’S KEEP THE FUNNY CONSERVATIVE RHYMING:
MIGHT MAKES RIGHT
Gandalf, the White! (The Ryhmin' Rastamon!)
July 10th, 2009
9:11 am
NORMAL:
When we Nuke Saudi Arabia, it will turn the whole area into a HUGE glass parking lot. This will serve two purposes:
1.It will reflect the Sun’s rays and reduce global warming.
2.It will give us a place to park all the POS cars that That Goverment Motors and American Motors produce.
Maybe we can get Jay and Brad Steel to ride one into target, as in Dr. Stragelove!
Bosch
July 10th, 2009
9:12 am
Kamchak,
Trouble at the Gold Cup! Do you know what time the US plays Haiti tomorrow?
USinUK
July 10th, 2009
9:13 am
ByteMe –
“Saxby was went on the attack when the INS went after a south Georgia farm for knowingly employing illegals. Then when the anti-illegal tide came in, he claimed he was always for keeping illegals out of the country”
I’m shocked … but in a Captain Renault kind of way
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 10th, 2009
9:13 am
I am laughing at my own post!
Bosch
July 10th, 2009
9:17 am
Kamchak,
I found it.
Get Real
July 10th, 2009
9:18 am
Whiner, any substantiated proof of those ’subsidies’ to ACORN. Its quite hilarious that some say this plane is the end all/be all when it hasn’t flown one combat mission. If thats not pork what is? Seems that the geographical location of where this plane is built has a lot to do with it. Where are all the teabaggers on this?
Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 10th, 2009
9:19 am
EXPAT: The only sound prettier than a Rolls-Royce Merlin is that of a Wide Open Aston Martin V-12!