Some points to consider:
1. The Chinese government is not nearly as publicly accountable to
its population as is the government of the USA, so if it wants hundreds
or even thousands of J-20s it is only matter of government will….and
resources. And if the F-22 is as amazing as it is said to be, then 187
of them are surely threat enough?
2. The economic advantages to the USA economy overall of producing
more F-22s is minimal and it might actually slow (initially) the F-35
production schedule….which is a much larger program with economic
and international consequences for yet another slowdown.
3. China has other military concerns besides just the USA.
4. There seems to be little political will to invest more money in the
F-22 by the USA government, especially in their present economic
environment. With rumors of a possible F-35B cancellation due to
money concerns and cost overruns, do you really think funding for
more F-22s is even remotely possible?
5. Even if the House of Representatives could come to an agreement
on producing more F-22s, would not the Democrat-led Senate and
presidential line-item veto prevent it from actually happening?
6. How many F-22s would need to be produced so that Lockheed
would have an actual economic incentive to do so?
Cheers.
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