Press Release -- Contact: Luke Warren - 202.546.0795 x. 127
12 July, 1999

Is the Veil of Cold War Thought Lifting?

Gansler Questions the F-22, Looks for Alternatives

In an interview last week, Jacques Gansler, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology, claimed that the Pentagon was looking at alternatives to the F-22 fighter. Given that the plane has had a history of developmental problems and cost overruns, this is a welcome change in Pentagon thinking.

Gansler was quoted by UPI as saying, "you always ought to have an alternative. You can't cancel a program if you have no options..." While Gansler is suggesting only a cut back in the number of F-22s, his comments open up the larger question of whether we should be procuring the F-22 at all.

Two options were cited by Gansler as possible replacements for some of the F-22s: the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), and an updated version of the F-15E. Both of these alternatives are viable.

The F-22 is designed to replace the F-15, the world's premier air superiority fighter. It was initially designed to counter the next generation of Soviet fighters, but those are nowhere insight. Only the French have aircraft comparable to ours, and they are our allies. There are no enemy aircraft on the horizon that are even remotely comparable to ours. Thus, there is no reason to replace the F-15E with the F-22.

Buying more JSFs to replace any cut in F-22s is also a good option. The F-22 is an extremely expensive plane, costing $125 million a piece according to the CBO, but possibly as much as $180 million. On the other hand, JSFs are expected to cost between $30-40 million each. With that kind of price difference, you could buy two JSFs in lieu of one F-22 and still save at least $40 million. Economically speaking, there is no debate here - cancel the F-22.

Combined with the lack of a military threat to the F-15, much less the F-14, F-16, and F/A-18C/D, the F-22 is unnecessary. With the F-22's huge price tag, it makes sense to build a few more upgraded F-15Es until the JSF comes online in 2005. True, the F-15 is not stealthly, but with U.S. superiority in radar suppression, electronic warfare jamming, cruise missiles, smart weapons and pilot training, the lack of stealth on the F-15 is unimportant. It will easily dominate the skies for years to come. Once the JSF begins production, it should supplement the F-15 for unrivaled air superiority. The only reason to build the F-22 is to please defense contractors.

True, Gansler is talking more about buying 200 F-22s instead of the planned 339, but even so, capping the production of the F-22 at 200 and buying 139 more JSFs is still a savings of around $11 billion. The CBO suggests buying 120 F-22s and 219 F-15Es, for a savings of $9 billion. In either case, there are major savings to be made by eliminating or reducing the number of F-22s the Pentagon wants to buy. It is good news to hear at least one person in the Pentagon breaking Cold War mentality by talking this way.

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