Allow The Export of The F-22 Fighter To Our Closest Allies
With the DOD planning to stop the purchase of additional F-22 fighters, it's likely that the production line for the F-22 will close. When a ...more »
With the DOD planning to stop the purchase of additional F-22 fighters, it's likely that the production line for the F-22 will close. When a weapons production line closes, there is little likelihood of ever restarting it in the event of a war.
At the same time, we can't afford to keep the production line open ourselves. Unlike previous times we've shutdown fighter programs, there's no replacement programs planned in the immediate future. The 6th generation technology for a purely unmanned fighter is a decade, and, probably more, away from being a practically deployed weapon.
There's no reason why this fighter can't be sold to our closest allies like Australia, Japan, Great Britain, and Germany. These allies are essential to a stable, democratic world and have proven themselves responsible with safeguarding advanced technology in the past. We've even shared ICBM technology and nuclear weapons technology with Great Britain; Great Britain's main nuclear deterrent force consists of US made Trident II-D5 SLBMs with warheads developed through joint nuclear weapons technology partnerships.
Given the risk to the world posed by rogue nations and terrorist groups, it's important to keep those close allies well equipped, militarily. In the event of a war, their help will be essential. The US can't financially afford the costs of being the world's sole policeman.
As far as the fear of the inadvertent release of stealth technologies, I'm sure that every intelligence agency worth their paycheck across the world already has access to the F-22 technology. F-117s with 1st generation stealth technology have already been lost in combat.
From a purely financial perspective, exporting the F-22 would help create jobs in the US and help our trade balance. We can use the revenue generated though exports to help build the 6th generation fighters, which will probably be unmanned.
Tactically speaking, by the time the first planes are exported and crews trained to fly them, we will already have a trained and experienced F-22 fighter pilot pool. We will also probably be very close to production of a 6th generation fleet of planes. The risk of letting this technology go offshore at the end of the US order production run is pretty low. After all, the F-22 is a late 1980's technology.
By allowing the export of the F-22, after US orders are filled, we can keep the production line open, create jobs for US workers, improve our trade balance, and generate much needed revenue for the development of the next generation of fighter aircraft. At the same time, we are strengthening the allies we need to stop rogue nations. Japan, especially, is in need of advanced fighters to counter potential threats from North Korea and China.
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