Maybe not of complete cancellation, but the current incumbents of the White House have never been completely happy with these two projects it would seem. Somewhat contradictory to this is the possibility of an F/B-22 being investigated as a possible future strike platform:
Fighter Jet, Copter Assessed for Roles In Military Future
The Pentagon and Office of Management and Budget are seeking outside reviews of the F/A-22 fighter jet and Comanche helicopter to assess whether the programs conform to the Department of Defense’s future vision of the military.
The studies, to be conducted by research groups unaffiliated with the Pentagon, are sparking concern among supporters within the Army and Air Force that the programs could be scaled back.
Both programs have long been criticized for cost increases and schedule delays. “For the people that don’t like the programs, this is a way of raising these issues again,” said Loren Thompson, a defense industry analyst.
The reviews should examine whether the programs address the “threats and requirements of the next several decades,” according to an Office of Management and Budget document. They should also determine whether funding for the F/A-22 and Comanche are draining money from new programs more in line with future combat needs, the OMB said.
The studies will address the concerns of many critics who argue that the F/A-22, also known as the Raptor, and the Comanche reconnaissance helicopter were conceived to deal with old threats that are no longer relevant.
The F/A-22, a key project for Lockheed Martin Corp., was designed for air-to-air combat, but those capabilities were not needed during the war in Iraq and are less likely to be needed in future conflicts, said Marcus Corbin, senior analyst for the Center for Defense Information. The Comanche, made by Boeing Co. and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a unit of United Technologies Inc., was developed with stealth capabilities to protect against radar-guided missiles. But unsophisticated missiles have been used in Iraq to bring down other types of helicopters, he said.
“These programs — although they are regarded as advanced in military terms — they are not too relevant for today’s conflicts,” Corbin said.
Together the programs are expected to cost more than $100 billion over their lives. President Bush’s 2005 budget proposal includes $4.8 billion for the Raptor and $1.3 billion for the Comanche.
“The only way to stop these programs is through a political decision to do so,” Corbin said. “It’s possible that the OMB request for review indicates that the White House may be considering expending that political capital now.”
The Army and Air Force have successfully fought attempts by senior aides to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to cut the programs in recent years, arguing that both programs are central to the agency’s modernization efforts, Thompson said. But the studies will largely exclude input from the Army and Air Force and give critics of the programs another opportunity to frame the debate, he said. Army and Air Force officials “will input information but will not have a seat at the table,” Thompson said.
The studies will help determine the 2006 budget request, but should not be considered a threat to the programs, said Chad Kolton, OMB spokesman. “We’re at the very beginning stages of the next year’s budget process,” he said. “So it’s far too early to draw conclusions about what the process may ultimately determine.”
The reviews could broaden to include other programs, said a senior administration official. “We all [OMB and DOD] laid out this path ahead and have been waiting for approval from the deputy secretary [Paul Wolfowitz] so the teams can sit down and begin their work,” the official said.
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Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
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February 12, 2004 at 2:59 pm