Pentagon eyes F-35 fighters, not pricier F-22s

Source URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN1226363220080212
Posted at: http://www.air-attack/com/news/news_article/3019

Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England expects the F-35A Lightning II will replace F-15s grounded due to a structural defect, instead of the F-22 Raptor.

During a Senate Budget Committee hearing on the Pentagon's fiscal 2009 budget request, he stated: "I do not believe the F-22s will be replacements for the F-15".

Around 40% of the F-15 fleet is still grounded, after an older F-15C model crashed due to structural defects on Nov 2. It will require billion of dollars to fix them, so the USAF is expected to replace most grounded aircraft.

"So I would expect instead we would try to accelerate the Joint Strike Fighter, which is more the class of the F-15," England said. "So the Air Force would move into Joint Strike Fighter and not into the much more expensive F-22 airplane."

The US Air Force, however, wants more F-22s than the current budgeted 183 and several Senators also want more, to prevent closure of the production line by Lockheed Martin.

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