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F22s Dropping Like Flies
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| Dervish |
>LINK<
| quote: | UPDATE 1-U.S. fighter jet crashes, program questioned Wed Mar 25, 2009 6:57pm EDT
Production line to close without more F-22 orders
* U.S. has budgeted for 183 of the aircraft
* Condition of pilot in crash unknown (Adds details on F-22 production decision, byline)
By Jim Wolf
WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) - A U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jet crashed in the California desert Wednesday, the Air Force said, coming at a time the Obama administration is deciding whether to extend Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N)'s F-22 production line.
The decision on the production line is due in a month or so as part of the White House's detailed fiscal 2010 budget request to Congress. Lockheed has said it plans to start phasing out its supplier base unless President Barack Obama opts to buy more than the 183 F-22s currently budgeted.
The aircraft, designed to be the world's top dogfighter, went down about 35 miles northeast of Edwards Air Force Base, where it had been based, the Air Force said in a statement. Edwards lies in the Mojave Desert, adjacent to Rogers Dry Lakebed, the largest dry lakebed in North America.
The Air Force said the condition of the aircraft's lone pilot was not immediately known. To date, the Air Force has accepted 135 F-22s from Lockheed Martin, Lt. Gen. Mark Schackelford, the Air Force's top uniformed acquisition officer, told Congress Wednesday. This is the second time an F-22 has crashed. The first was during a test and evaluation period in December 2004, also at Edwards, the Air Force said. In that case, the pilot ejected safely. (Reporting by Jim Wolf; editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Bernard Orr) |
Still in testing and two down? Hmm reeks of a systemic failure. |
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| winston |
| The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor |
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| Sunsnail |
| from what I've learned from the x-files, aliens were involved |
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| tubularbills |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dervish
Still in testing and two down? Hmm reeks of a systemic failure. |
pilot error:o |
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| Dervish |
Pull stick up = plane no crash. :p
For having only 100ish and for them to be just into service, and for two to have crashed is at least surprising. |
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| Sunsnail |
| i blame all the drunks who are in the air force :) |
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| Dervish |
| quote: | Originally posted by tubularbills
pilot error:o |
I was only semi-joking about the pull stick back = no crash, I mean it wasn't landing or even taking off 35 miles from base. It'll have been performing a designed test flight (guessing cos it's Edwards) with one of the most experienced pilots in the airforce (test pilot).
Why should it crash?
EDIT:| quote: | Lockheed Martin Statement - F-22 Accident
FORT WORTH, Texas, March 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lockheed Martin test pilot David Cooley, 49, was killed today at about 10 a.m. Pacific time in the crash of an F-22 aircraft flying on a test mission from Edwards AFB, California. We are deeply saddened by the loss of David and our concerns, thoughts and prayers at this time are with his family. David joined Lockheed Martin in 2003 and was a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He worked at the F-22 Combined Test Force, where a team of Lockheed Martin and Air Force pilots conduct F-22 aircraft testing.
Questions about the aircraft accident should be addressed to the Edwards Air Force Base Public Affairs Office at 661-277-3511.
SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company |
>LINK<
Very sad news, and very puzzling. |
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| tubularbills |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dervish
I was only semi-joking about the pull stick back = no crash, I mean it wasn't landing or even taking off 35 miles from base. It'll have been performing a designed test flight (guessing cos it's Edwards) with one of the most experienced pilots in the airforce (test pilot).
Why should it crash?
EDIT:
>LINK<
Very sad news, and very puzzling. |
sucks. :( |
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| Alex |
| quote: | Originally posted by Sunsnail
from what I've learned from the x-files, aliens were involved |
No it was the Federal Reserve. |
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| Krypton |
| the F22. That money could be helping college student's tuition. |
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| tubularbills |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
the F22. That money could be helping college student's tuition. |
the money that is being spent on the 22 came from cutting other programs in the AF.... |
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| Joss Weatherby |
The 22 has been in "testing" for almost 20 years now. Over 10 in production level testing.
2 crashes in that amount of time is not a big deal in any flight program, testing or not.
That doesnt deny that the system is still fubar. |
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