Air Force may cut F-15 fleet

[cboy4]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Exclusive:

By Julian E. Barnes, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 9, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The Air Force will probably order dozens of its F-15 fighter jets permanently grounded because of crucial structural flaws, significantly reducing the number of planes available to protect the United States, officials said Tuesday.

After one of the jets broke apart during a simulated dogfight in November, Air Force officials grounded the entire F-15 fleet, nearly 700 planes in all, fearing such a defect. The newest versions of the fighter jets were allowed to resume flying shortly afterward, but 440 of the older model F-15s have remained out of service.

The Air Force plans to allow about 260 of the remaining grounded planes to return to duty today. But about 180 more will remain idle because of suspected structural flaws.

"Many of them may never fly again," a senior Air Force officer said. The officer, like others interviewed for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity because results of the investigation are not due to be made public until today.




Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-airforce9jan09,0,1358206.story?coll=la-home-center

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As long as things are going so well in Iraq (:sarcasm:) who cares if this problem significantly reduces the number of planes available to protect the United States?

Hey, the Surge is working, right? :eyes:

[Robbien]

1. At the rate we are going the private merc firms will have more air power

than our public armed services. Both of course funded by US taxes.

[Thothmes]

2. None of the mercs have access to F 22s

[Robbien]

3. How can anyone be sure what mercs have or do not have

most of that is classified info.

[Pavulon]

8. Over 100mil unit cost

plus the billions to develop it. No one else has it.

It is a massive program.

[happyslug]

4. and except for a few models neither does the US Air Force

and at 20 per year production rate, the USAF will have a LOT of them soon (Sarcasm off).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-22_Raptor

You have 1-2 squadrons of F-22 active at the present time, this will slowly increase but with production at 20 per year not quickly.

[TroglodyteScholar]

5. The F-15, especially A thru D models, are definitely an aging bird...

...but this incident is totally being hyped in order to create the opportunity to flush more taxpayer money down the defense toilet.

F-15's are the most versatile fighter the USAF flies, and the whole "doing these repairs will decrease their effectiveness" line is total bullshit.

[Thothmes]

6. Flight Restrictions on F-15s

have been lifted. About 260 of the inventory will be returned to flight status. Another 150 or so will be permanently removed from service. No link, on the local news this evening.

[ohio2007]

7. boneyard nt

[The Croquist]

9. Production of the F-15 started in the late '70s

They're old planes. I don't really think we need the F-22 but these birds are almost 30 years old and metal fatigue may not be too surprising. These things aren't 747's. When you're flying in a commercial liner you don't expect 5 G turns. These things do more then that every flight.

[TroglodyteScholar]

15. Production STARTED in the 70's

This does not justify calling the whole fleet 30 years old. That's just another tactic.

And I don't need anyone telling me what a 15 does and doesn't do. I'm quite aware of its capabilities and vulnerabilities, thanks.

[boricua79]

10. what a nice waste of billions of our dollars

on metal and parts that don't work.

Hey, how's your kid's education and your healthcare, huh?

How are them Yankees, huh? :sarcasm:

[Orsino]

11. Accepting the premise that we have to have warplanes...

...I'd like to see the F-15s replaced by more fuel-efficient models.

[ohio2007]

12. UAV's don't require millions spent on aircrew safety,survival let alone retention. nt

[TroglodyteScholar]

16. ROFFLE

Yea, that's the USAF's top priority.

:sarcasm:

[TrogL]

13. Could you people PUH-LEEZ get your act together

Canada is getting tired of protecting YOUR airspace 'cause your aircraft suck.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

If a lot of your fleet's grounded and you can't protect your airspace, that means it's time to INVADE!!!!

Please make sure the fire extinguishers at the White House are properly serviced. Remember what happened last time.

[Orsino]

14. Heh.

Even if they're powered by rubber bands, at least they seem to work!

[Political Heretic]

17. Bring on the F22 ! I love that plane.

[CRF450]

18. Yup, its a badass aircraft for sure!

Just wish they werent so damn expensive.

[northzax]

19. and only three more years

until the F-35/JSF is supposed to begin delivery.

but hey, what's an amortized cost of $361m per plane for an air to air fighter?

[ohio2007]

20. and after thhe F-35, it'll be "Rise of the machines"

remove the limitations of the human factor and more can be done with less money. UAV's are the next generation after this final production run of JSF

[WittyUsername]

21. I'm always a bit cynical about motives with stuff like this...

These planes have been in services for how many decades now?? All of this sudden, because of one incident, they are grounding them all? Hmmmm.... Push to get newer planes, like the f-22?

I felt the same way about the shuttle too... I understand shit gets old and new technologies replace old, but I dunno... I just find some of the reasoning to be suspicious.

[ManiacJoe]

22. The age of the planes is the problem.

The older f-15's are having structural problems now. The newer f-15's do not have enough wear and tear on them to show the problems yet, thus they are still in service. The first f-15's started service in, what, '73 or '74?