"Our existing capabilities are overwhelming," said retired Army Col.
Andrew Bacevich, who now teaches international relations at Boston
University.
"We are purchasing for billions and billions of dollars capability we
don't really need. At least some of the money would be better spent on
systems relevant to the struggle we are in now."
From The Post-Gazette. 7/13/04:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04195/345591.stm
Is new military fighter jet already out of date?
By Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In a joint exercise in February, U.S. Air Force pilots flying the top
U.S. fighter, the F-15C, got chewed up by Indian military pilots
flying new, and not so new, Russian fighter planes.
The Air Force won't disclose exactly how the mock engagements turned
out, but Gen. Hal Hornburg, head of Air Combat Command, said
afterward, "We may not be as far ahead of the rest of the world as we
once thought we were."
Part of the reason for the strong Indian performance could have been
superior training, Air Force officials acknowledged.
But the main reason, they said, was that the F-15C, first fielded in
1979, is showing its age.
"The major takeaway for the Air Force is that our prediction of
needing to replace the F-15 with the F-22 is proving out as we get
smarter about other countries' capabilities," said Col. Mike
Snodgrass, commander of the Air Force fighters that took part in the
exercise with the Indian pilots.
"We've taken the F-15 about as far as we can and it's now time to move
on to the next generation."
Critics acknowledge that the F-22 is far and away the finest airplane
of its type ever built. But they say its primary purpose -- to shoot
down enemy fighters and protect ground troops -- is a mission that is
vanishing.
The long-gloried, dog-fighting fighter plane might soon be obsolete,
they argue, thanks to the proliferation of highly accurate
surface-to-air missiles that can shoot them down and to advances in
drone, cruise-missile and bomber technologies that can better perform
their offensive missions.
They see the F-22 and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, another new plane
the Air Force is working on, as classic examples of weapons designed
in one era that are no longer relevant by the time they are ready for
action.
"Our existing capabilities are overwhelming," said retired Army Col.
Andrew Bacevich, who now teaches international relations at Boston
University.
"We are purchasing for billions and billions of dollars capability we
don't really need. At least some of the money would be better spent on
systems relevant to the struggle we are in now."
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Bush spends money because its there.
Harry
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