CONGRESS DOES THE RIGHT THING CUTS THE F-22 TO WEAKEN OUR DEFENSE AND LAYS OFF 20,000 EMPLOYEES AT LOCKHEED AT THE SAME TIME -- CONGRESS SHOULD BE IMPEACHED ALONG WITH THE IDIOT OBAMA----------

Wow $1.75 billion saved. That's like 30 seconds in the Obamaverse.

Providing for the defense of the country is a mandate of the federal government. Spending $1.4 trillion of health care is not. Or loading up $24 trillion in bank bailouts.

This is like someone who pricks his finger and tells someone who has had his leg cut off that he feels the guys pain.

The US government is going to spend over $1.5 billion over the next 10 years on wild horses. I think that money could be better spent giving our fighter pilots the most advanced plane ever created. You know so they have the greatest advantage.

Maybe we should just rebuild WWII fighters and give them to the Air Force. Or better yet we'll just scrap the armed forces all together and use the defense budget, which pales in comparison to Social Security, Medicare, and Welfare, for national healthcare.

You liberals would love that.

Another green shoot is stomped into dirt. lol

I don't see the big deal, with the F-35 being a just as capable and in some respects much more advanced fighter then the F-22. The F-22 would have been a waste, since it's a fix to a problem that does not and will not exist for the foreseeable future, the theoretical problem being air-to-air combat against technologically advanced adversaries. With any possible foe being far behind even the current US arsenal, this is a surprisingly responsible move by congress.

And those who say that congress is throwing away national security for healthcare, I guess you didn't catch the increase of orders for F-35's to 3500 planes by 2020. And the F-35 program will more then make up for the jobs lost on the F-22 project, which was already multiple times above budget.

@sxt173
Do not presume to offer analysis if you have no understanding of the issue. The F-35 is an inferior airframe and weapons platform in nearly every measurable way compared to the F-22; Acceleration, cruise speed, combat ceiling, time to altitude, maneuverability, air-to-air weapons capacity, and most importantly, radar cross section and infrared signature to name a few. The F-22 is NOT merely an air-to-air platform; the additional kinetic energy imparted from cruising at Mach 1.6 at 50,000 feet allows an F-22 to almost double the range of a 500lb JDAM compared to legacy fighter platforms- thus minimizing time spent within the engagement envelope of hostile air defense systems. The F-22 and F-35 were developed to continue the traditional high/low fighter mix that has served the USAF well for over two decades. This administration's ill-considered decision will expose American aviators to unnecessary risks when facing any near-peer force for the next 30 years.

My favorite plane was the Balsa wood one that came in the package with the red propeller...fun times!

Actually if drones take off..( no pun intended) they might be back in vogue as the pilot becomes extinct.... This new generation LOVES video games and hey! why not fight war from your living room couch!! Isn't that the American way these days!??

I agree 100% with gtspm10000. The F-35A-C is nowhere near as capable an aircraft ( in the air to air role) as the f-22A. While it is not an air-to-ground attack platform, it is unparalleled at quickly establishing air superiority (at least locally, depending on the threat nation). The 4th generation strike fighter aircraft and other ground attack / support aircraft can't provide dedicated support to the troops on the ground without air superiority. There are rapidly proliferating aircraft out there (with the corresponding weapons loadouts) that can match in in some categories outperform anything in the inventory except the f-22. The threat nations will not always be without significant air power.

My question is - How can Most Senators and Representatives + this crazed Muslim President determine what we need and do not need to gurantee our National security when they've never seen a day of Military Service? It really frightens me that Americans couldn"t see through this H---A---- President when they voted. They have one other chance during mid term elections -- vote to rid the U.S. Government of Liberals such as Nancy Pelosi, that Reid guy and others. One other comment--I cannot understand why Sec Defense couldn't challenge Mr. Obama with more positive actions when it was decided USAF didn't need the F-22. A great mistake by a Consertive turned Liberal [apparently to save his job].