IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE FIRST CITIZEN HEROES OF 9.11.2001
Selected U.S. Air Force aircraft began displaying this distinctive nose art design in 2002. The design was created by Senior Airman Duane White at Air Combat Command and features the words "LET'S ROLL!", said by Todd Beamer as he and other passengers moved to fight for control of United Airlines flight 93 before it crashed on September 11. Major command and wings are allowed to use the design on one aircraft.
POLITICS & ECONOMICS
Politics and economics has and will continue to play a key role in U.S. military success or defeat. The mind-set of the Charles Lindberg era, advocating America stay out of the war in Europe, not unlike rethinking the cost of post Cold War programs, the current mind-set, including ending production of the F-22A program, will arguably set the stage for America's military victories or defeats for the next thirty years. Only history will tell if the last of the 187 F-22 Raptors to be built, slated for final delivery in early 2012, will be adequate in number to own any hostile air space for the next several decades.
E PLURIBUS UNIM ?
Not entirely unlike the Arab Spring, many U.S. citizens believe that America is on the wrong track to prosperity and that the American Dream is becoming a fantasy. One of the consequences of the Great Recession, were the mid-term election results of 2010 which deeply polarized the political divide in Congress, causing Washington to become dysfunctional. The disparity of wealth distribution, going on for decades, has come home to roost, resulting in passionate debates on how, and by how much, to reduce entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
Comprehensive rewriting of the tax code that would include, eliminating tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy, as well as tax increases for the super wealthy, are being called for. With the failure of the Congressional supercommittee, automatic sequestering will begin in January 2013 to reduce our national debt which is currently about 15 trillion dollars. Unless Congress takes action before 2013, the total Pentagon budget will be reduced nearly 1 trillion dollars by the end of 2022. Is it fair to demand almost one half of the total 10 year deficit reduction plan come from defense? Can our legislators rediscover the concept of compromise and shared sacrifice, or are we realizing the "new normal"?
Unfortunately, my suspicion is that Congress will remain in ideology gridlock, until the middle-class electorate decides this November, on how much additional sacrifice they can take relative to increased tax revenues from the well-to-do. If this coming election isn't characterized by overtones of class-warfare, I don't know what would be. In my many years of voting as a middle-class independent, I have never seen our two political parties so entrenched in their ideologies in the battle for the independent middle-class vote.
WHY THE SUPERCOMMITTEE ON LONG-TERM DEFICIT REDUCTION FAILED
The unprecedented success of the F-15 EAGLE has
demonstrated the performance standard required for air dominance
since becoming the UNITED STATES front-line fighter in the
mid' 1970's.
The F-22A RAPTOR, successor to the F-15 EAGLE, has
raised that performance standard a quantum leap. The F-22A RAPTOR has achieved initial operational capability as of December 2005 and is now combat ready. The F-22A RAPTOR, as argued by proponents, is expected to "own" any future enemy air space with it's stealth, supercruise Pratt & Whitney thrust-vectoring engines, twin supercomputer avionic synergies, including passive Inter/Intra Flight Data Link technologies.
It's to be seen if the F-22A RAPTOR will continue to retain the "right stuff", in its proclaimed front-line status of 30 years, against fifth-generation air superiority competition from the likes of Russia or China. Unlike the U.S. law banning export sales to allies such as Australia, Japan or Israel, it should be noted that Russia intends to sell its version to client countries such as Iran.
AIR DOMINANCE AND MISSION SUCCESS
Be it the Battle of Midway or Desert Storm, air
power has changed the course of history. Ironically, it was air
power that plunged the UNITED STATES into war after the
attack at Pearl Harbor and air power that turned the tide
in the Pacific at the Battle of Midway. Rapid
deployment of air superiority fighters saved many American and coalition lives and vanquished enemy forces in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.
TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE!
Where will the need for the F-22A come from in the decades
ahead? Which of the many geopolitical flash points, throughout the world, ignite with little or no advance warning? No one can say for sure. But with the F-22A at the ready, potential hostilities can be averted, or, as in Desert Shield, fight their way into harm's way and own the sky, minimizing casualties. Not even an advanced version of today's F-15 will be able to overcome the anticipated capabilities of potential enemy land based defenses and their advanced air forces simultaneously in the years ahead.
Many of the links provided pertain to related additional
technical and political developments regarding the F-22A
Raptor. These links, found throughout my site, will take you to various external web sites, which when either commercial, non-profit, political or military in nature, can be expected to have privacy policies different than that of my host provider-Yahoo!.com
The usability of any links cannot be assured, and
are provided "as is" for the benefit of visitors to my
site, with the intention of providing assistance in learning of
other sources of related information.
These links are provided in good faith as to their suitability
and any liabilities for criminal conduct in their usage will be
the consequences of the user.
In the event any links are found not to be in working order, I would appreciate being notified at raptor4007@hotmail.com so that I could correct the problem.
AFFILIATION & TRADEMARKS
This site is not affiliated with any UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
AGENCY or the UNITED STATES MILITARY or any
military contractor.
Trademarks are the property of the respective corporations
referenced within this site and said entities retain all rights
as afforded by UNITED STATES and INTERNATIONAL LAW.
ENJOY YOUR VISIT!
O.K..., having stated my commentary on the F-22A RAPTOR, it's your turn to have your say! Feel free to speak your mind in the comments section of SIGN GUESTBOOK-- your thoughts are
appreciated as I hope you enjoy your visit and THANKS for
taking the time to explore my site.
ENTER
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THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING.
Acknowledgments to all the artists, photographers and
creators of all the images, photographs, .gif .jpg .wav and midi
files found on this site.
Audio for my Homepage inspired by the 1978 musical version of the classic "The War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells with narration by the late Richard Burton.
The "rock opera" music was composed by Jeff Wayne, with vocals provided by Justin Hayward (of the Moody Blues), Phil Lynott (of Thin Lizzy), David Essex and Julie Covington.
