The Murky Future of Stealth

[Thomas]

Interesting article from Air Force Magazine. It seems pretty fair and balanced in it's view.

The Murky Future of Stealth
By Rebecca Grant


Why, after 35 years, does the US have fewer than 150 stealth aircraft?

Stealth aircraft have been around a surprisingly long time—35 years. The F-117 had its beginning in a 1974 design contest. By the time the last one retired last year, three more stealth aircraft types—the B-2, F-22, and F-35—had been built or were in the works.

Stealth had moved from the pages of obscure physics journals to pre-eminence in USAF’s arsenal.

Proof of the high value of "low observable" airplanes also has been around a long time now. It emerged in the 1991 Gulf War, when a handful of F-117s accounted for 40 percent of all attacks on strategic targets. The Air Force ever since has believed stealth should define its combat air forces.

For all that, the nation’s track record on buying low observable aircraft has been dismal. The Pentagon acquired fewer than 60 F-117s. The Air Force was allowed to procure only 21 B-2 bombers—not 132, as originally planned. USAF has been cleared to acquire 183 F-22s; that is 198 short of what the service considers a minimum requirement. To read more click on this link..........

 

[illuminatus]

^^ Quite an extensive read. Thanks for sharing it. Politics and cost are ultimately the deciding factors.

 

[s6demon]

The u.s. cannot just start shoving stealth aircrafts down its military's throats when it already has hundreds at its disposal. It would just be a waste of resources and what will they do with the aircrafts they already have?

the u.s. already spends more on its military than rest of the world combied. and that spending has fostered the military mindset of percieved threats everywhere in the world. i wonder where this will lead the country down the road in terms of its standing in the world.