POGO
1100 G Street, NW,
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005-3806
U.S.A.
phone (202) 347-1122
fax (202) 347-1116
501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization

 


FA-22 Fighter Aircraft

POGO Files 

Related Resources (government documents and letters)

POGO in the News


POGO Files

Preying On The Taxpayer: The F-22A Raptor
July 25, 2006

In June, the Senate authorized the government to purchase 20 F-22A  Raptor fighter jets each year for 2008, 2009, and 2010 using a multiyear procurement (MYP) strategy. If Lockheed, the aircraft's manufacturer is able to secure MYP status, it would essentially lock the government into buying the 60 additional troubled F-22A's and minimize the possibility that the program could suffer further funding cuts. An MYP would also result in the American taxpayers  paying Lockheed $1 billion more than they would under the normal annual procurement process. 


Is the Air Force Spending Itself into Unilateral Disarmament?
August 2, 2001

With its ever increasing commitment to complex, expensive, high-tech weapons and willingness to advance the cause of defense contractors, the Pentagon is on a path that will actually degrade U.S. fighting forces. For example, at the start of the cold war, America's long-range bombing fleet consisted of 1,380 B-47s and 680 B-52s. Those bombers have declined significantly in number since the advent of fewer and more expensive bombers like the B-1B and B-2 Spirit.

The U.S. military budget is fast approaching cold war spending levels, and the cost of developing, testing and procuring new military aircraft is spinning out of control. As the per copy cost of military aircraft rises, older aircraft are not being replaced on a one-to-one basis. The cause for concern: The number of aircraft in the U.S. fleet is declining so fast that the Air Force’s control of the skies could be threatened in the future.


Will We Ever Fly Before We Buy? F-22 Doesn't Meet Basic Testing Criteria
January 2, 2001

The Pentagon is rushing to begin production of the F-22 fighter without first meeting all testing requirements imposed by Congress. This report exposes the plan to recommend releasing $2.1 billion for 10 F-22 fighters even though the aircraft has not met as many as five out of 11 testing criteria required to be met before funding is released. This first wave of the production process, known as low-rate initial production, is expected despite Congress' clear directive in the defense budget bills of 2000 and 2001 that F-22 production funding only be released if all 11 testing criteria are met. The Pentagon should not only adhere to these very minimal testing criteria before going into production, it should set a higher standard requiring that all operational testing be completed, particularly of the avionics (the eyes, ears and brain of the plane) prior to costly buys of new aircraft like the F-22. No greater lesson than this was learned from the "buy before fly" B-1 and B-2 bomber fiascos. 


The F-22 Program: Fact Versus Fiction
August 10, 2000

A report criticizing the F-22 aircraft by legendary aircraft designer and retired Air Force Col. Everest E. Riccioni 


Top

 

Related Resources


Gates and Mullen: More F-22s Will Threaten Our National Defense
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen,
July 13, 2009 


President Obama's Letter Promising to Veto Bill with Additional F-22's
President Barack Obama, The White House
July 13, 2009 


General Norton Schwartz and Secretary of Air Force Michael Donley Letter to Senator McCain opposing F-22 production
Norton A. Schwartz, General, USAF, Chief of Staff and Michael B. Donley, Secretary of the Air Force,
July 13, 2009 


Top


POGO in the News


House Reverses Itself, Votes To Kill F-22 Buy, By Wlliam MatthewsDefense News, July 31, 2009 


The F-22 Vote and the Future of Pentagon Spending, By William Hartung Talking Points Memo, July 28, 2009 


F-22 funding cut to hurt North Berwick firm; Loss of fighter jet program endangers hundreds of local jobs, By Jason Claffey Foster's Daily Democrat - Dover,NH, July 22, 2009 


F-22 Gets Through House Committee, May Face Obstacle On Floor, By William Matthews DefenseNews.com , July 22, 2009 


President wins on defense spending; With prodding, Senate halts order for F-22 jets, By Bryan BenderThe Boston Globe, July 22, 2009 


The Progress Report: A Victory For Sensible Defense, By Faiz Shakir, Amanda Terkel, Matt Corley, Benjamin Armbruster, Ian Millhiser and Nate CarlileThe Huffington Post; The Progress Report is the daily policy newsletter of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, July 22, 2009 


Key Vote Proves White House & Gates Serious About Reform, By James FallowsThe Atlantic Monthly/On-line, July 22, 2009 


F-22 Soars on Twitter After Senate Vote, By Noah ShachtmanWired.com Danger Room, July 21, 2009 


Defense Contractors Lobby for More F-22s; Obama Threatens Veto, By Sabil KapurHuffington Post, July 16, 2009 


F-22 Vote Temporarily Set Aside As Obama Keeps Two Jet Issues On Veto List, By Emelie RutherfordDefense Daily, (By subscription only), July 16, 2009 


F-22 Bill Stalls In Senate; Gates Aids Jet's Foes, By William MatthewsDefense News.com, July 15, 2009 


Senate F-22 Foes Outnumbered But Still Fighting, By William MatthewsDefense News, July 14, 2009 


Obama's veto threat over F-22 divides Dems, By Roxana Tiron The Hill.com, July 14, 2009 


Despite Obama, Senate Momentum Builds for Stealth Jets, By Noah ShachtmanWired/Danger Room, July 13, 2009 


A dog fight Obama seems bound to lose, By Bryan BenderBoston Globe, July 12, 2009 


Fighter jet program fuels tension between GOP Senators, By Roxanne TrionThe Hill, July 6, 2009 


An Era Begins Closing On F-22, By Bob O’HarrowThe Washington Post - Government Inc., April 14, 2009 


Arms plan has pain, some gain for N.E., By Bryan Bender and Todd Wallack The Boston Globe, April 7, 2009 


Why The Heat Is On Robert Gates Over The Pentagon's Big-Ticket Weapons, By Anna MulrineU.S. News & World Report (USNews.com), March 25, 2009 


Defense Contractors Gird for Fight, By Spencer AckermanWashington Independent, March 5, 2009 


Military Contractors Await Details of Obama’s Budget, By Christopher DrewNew York Times/Business, February 27, 2009 


Fighter Jet or Fighter Job? , With Chris LawrenceCNN, February 26, 2009 


Raptor in dogfight for its future, By Ken Dilanian and Tom Vanden BrookUSA Today, February 25, 2009 


Critics say DoD spending more, getting less, By Antonie BoessenkoolArmy Times, February 20, 2009 


F-22 Raptor plagued by stealth maintenance woes, Congress Daily On-line, February 20, 2009 


Critics say DoD spending more, getting less, By Antonie BoessenkoolAir Force News, February 20, 2009 


Nonprofit raises issue with pick for intelligence, by Matthew CellaThe Washington Times, January 9, 2009 


Bailout Leaves Weapons Programs Up in the Air, By Richard BurnettOrlando Sentinel, December 1, 2008 


Edo director resigns amid conflict-of-interest charges, By James BernsteinNewsday, August 2, 2006 


Pentagon reviews conflict-of-interest accusation, By Andrea Shalal-EsaReuters, July 31, 2006 


Top

Powered by Convio
nonprofit software