If the F-22 is Unnecessary, Why Can't We Export It?

After talking to the people that drive them, the F229 engines have already cut the airframe life by nearly 1/3 due to aluminum fatigue associated with the increased thrust.

We all know that aluminum does not have an infinite fatigue limit and couple that with extremely high thrust, g-loads, friction heating, and rapid air pressure changes and you've got a recipe for rapid aging. Like I said in the other thread, my buddy's plane is older than TKO and it's already on it's second set of wings.

The key phrases.

These aren't Cessnas we're talking about.

Curved surfaces are bad for stealth, since at least some of it will bounce back in the direction of the ping.

There'd have to be some modification done to the airframe, so basically it would be designing a new variant. Basically it would be like making a "Super Eagle" the same way the Navy had the "Super Hornet" built. I proposed that myself in another thread and it got pretty negative results, though it would technically be doable, but there would be a development cost associated with it as there's no way to just "plug and play" with a fighter aircraft.

I can see wanting to drop the F-35, but it's kind of silly not to meet the numbers required to effectively replace the F-15 given that the Air Force effectively killed that aircraft already. Basically the barn door has been fixed after the horses were long gone.

Right.

I meant it more like extending the life of the F-15s than as a replacement for the Raptor.

Sure, no problem. Just replace the wings, the engines, the electronics, the tails, and the fuselage, and there you are.

The design has been upgraded steadily over 30 years. At some point, you max out. Besides, even if you could do this, why would you? The F-15C production line has been gone since 1985. You're talking about some significant costs to get that up and running again, plus all the redesign and hypothetical upgrades you're thinking about. We've already spent 65 billion on the Raptor and it's being produced NOW. Why shut that down to spend a ton more money on an inferior design? It makes no sense to start over.

Kinda like going to your Ford dealer and wanting to trade in your '85 Mustang and asking them to build you a brand new '85 Mustang.

I wonder what the F-14 Tomcat would be like with F229 engines?

Well, I dunno 'bout the F-22. But if Gates torpedoes the F-35 program, maybe I can fly one in the Chinese Marine Corps:

Those Chinese definitely paid attention to their Sun Tzu on the matter of spies and spying, didn't they?

Of course they are going to DENY it.

Duh.

Maybe some /b/tard did it.

*Forbin decides to do an F-35 model in Flying tigers colors, with Chinese nationalist markings*

One wonders how long it will take the Pentagon to learn not to put ANY of these plans and tech on computers with internet access?

They don't.

My guess is that they hacked the contractors.