Why We Need the F-22 Raptor

It was a long flight from San Diego to Germany - slightly over 11 hours en route with an aerial refueling off the coast of Newfoundland. People do different things to stave off boredom; reading is a common pastime among C-17 pilots, at least at cruise altitude. During this flight, I picked up a back copy of Aviation Week Magazine from last December.

Among the many stimulating articles, one piece in particular caught my eye, especially in light of the pending Defense Department budget cuts under President Obama's upcoming budget proposal. It has long been rumored that the F-22 Raptor, our newest air superiority fighter, is on the chopping block. It is a very expensive airplane, coming in around $137 million apiece. Its critics say that it is chiefly a single-role fighter and that the multi-role F-35, which is still in production, is a much cheaper and more versatile fighter than the operational F-22. In addition, they point out that in the war on terrorism, Al Qaeda is not challenging air superiority, and as such, there is no need for such an expensive and single-purpose aircraft to fight terrorism.

The critics are absolutely correct.

However, there is one overriding reason why the F-22 Raptor is needed: there is no other airplane like it in the world. Its purpose is to penetrate enemy airspace with a first-look, first-kill capability against multiple targets. The F-22 is a low-observable, stealthy, and highly maneuverable airframe, with highly advanced avionics and superior aerodynamic performance. It will give the United States a decided advantage over any potential adversary for years to come. It doesn't matter that it isn't the most useful airplane in the war on terrorism. The F-22 will give our nation leverage in military conflicts against traditional states in the future, as well as bolster our diplomatic efforts through the mere threat of force.

Let me explain that in a little more detail. We currently face no discernable aerial threats. The entire world has seen how quickly our air force dominates aerial combat. Nobody wants to go head-to-head with our air force - today. Who knows what threats we'll face in the next 10-20 years? At the end of World War I, we were allied with Japan. Twenty-three years later, we were on opposite sides of World War II. In twenty years, we had better have the weapon systems to counter the potential threats that another nation could pose to our way of life. If we send the F-22 to the Boneyard, we are effectively playing into the hands of our enemies - even if they aren't our enemies right now.

Which brings me back to the December Aviation Week article, Raising the Ante. The article states that Iran is buying the SS-20 air defense system from Russia to protect its fledgling nuclear sites. The SS-20 presents a deadly challenge to traditional fighters and bombers, such as the F-15 and B-1. Its range will keep most of our aircraft inventory more than 100 miles from any target protected by the surface-to-air system.

However, the F-22, with its all-aspect stealth capability, can safely operate within the engagement envelope of the SS-20 and its pending variant, the SS-21. But the cheaper and more versatile F-35 does not possess all-aspect stealth capability; it is vulnerable in its rear aspect, especially its engine exhaust region. The B-2 stealth bomber is also at risk, since, over time, small signature clues will eventually offer a firing solution for the SS-20.

If we jettison the F-22, then we will lose what little diplomatic coercion we currently have to hinder the Iranians' nuclear ambitions. Without the threat of force, diplomacy often fails. They will build their reactors and their weapons processing ability all under the protective envelope of the SS-20. We will have no means to counter nuclear proliferation in the region without a weapon system like the F-22, which is more than capable of performing a SEAD role - suppression of enemy air defenses - so more traditional platforms like the F-15, B-1, and other aircraft could effectively destroy the target.

I'm not arguing for war with the Iranians. But we need the threat of force to keep them in check. Modern defensive systems that deny us strategic and operational options in pursuit of our national objectives are a threat to the free world. Any nation that employs these air defensive systems can effectively thumb their noses at the world while continuing atrocities such as ethnic cleansing without interference. Syria is already expressing interest in the SS-20. It won't be long before Sudan and other repressive regimes follow suit.

Can we really put a price tag on our national security? We absolutely need the F-22.