Gotta Love The Raptor...

[Gargamel]

united-states-pilots-tense-syrian-jet-encounter

Two American fighter pilots who intercepted Syrian combat jets over northern Syria last week said they came within 2,000 feet of the planes without the Syrians aware they were being shadowed.

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[David]

I really love that plane. Wish we were still making it.

[Sgt Beavis]

I really love that plane. Wish we were still making it.

Yea, its cancellation seems premature when you consider the current geopolitical environment.

[GhostTX]

JSF is supposed to solve everything. =/

[Gargamel]

JSF is supposed to solve everything. =/

The F-35 is going to be a great aircraft, albeit late and the word over-budget is an understatement.

The F-35 is an evolutionary leap in systems and situational awareness, however it will NEVER be the air-dominance powerhouse that the F-22 is.

At this point it would be a minor victory just to finally get an HMD (Helmet Mounted Display\Cueing System) on the limited number of Raptors we have.

Next on my wish list is to get the upgraded AETP engine and the small CUDA missile to the F-35 to help it in the visual range fight, but that's years down the road.....

[Mach1]

Manned aircraft are deprecated

[Gargamel]

Manned aircraft are deprecated

[svauto-erotic855]

I really love that plane. Wish we were still making it.

When they took apart the assembly line for it they spent piles of time and money to preserve the tooling. They can start production again with little effort if there is ever the money and/or the will to do so.

[Chas_svo]

When they took apart the assembly line for it they spent piles of time and money to preserve the tooling. They can start production again with little effort if there is ever the money and/or the will to do so.

As they did for every aircraft made since the 80's...

[svauto-erotic855]

As they did for every aircraft made since the 80's...

They went freak-o over it this go round. My aunt who has worked there all of her life says that she had never seen anything like it before. They practically saved the dust bunnies under the equipment in a effort to preserve the line EXACTLY as it was while it was up and going.

[snacksnack]

Well If you're Aunt says so then.

[svauto-erotic855]

Well If you're Aunt says so then.

I can only repeat what I have been told and have no first hand knowledge concerning the program. The last time I set foot out there and saw the assembly line I believe it was still a SAC base so that should clue you in to how long ago that was.