Over $44,000 an Hour to Fly: Putting the F-22 in Perspective

by: Brandon Friedman

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 11:34:39 AM EDT


In the midst of the debate over whether or not to suspend production of the Air Force's F-22 fighter jet, the Washington Post has revealed exactly how much it costs to fly and maintain each aircraft.  It's dizzying.

The F-22 costs more than $44,000 an hour to fly.  That's nearly 50 percent more than it costs to maintain its predecessor, the F-15.  Think about that.  That's what most Americans make in a year.  And while the Air Force says the cost to fly the plane for an hour is $44,300, the Office of the Secretary of Defense says it's actually $49,800.  They throw these numbers around like they're nothing.

Of course, I don't have an issue with spending whatever it takes to keep America safe.  The problem with expanding production of these extravagantly priced F-22s is that they represent the cost to use something we'll likely never need--a Top Gun-style fighter jet which would've come in handy in the 1980s--at the expense of things we could really use at home and abroad--now.

Let's look at this another way.  Let's look at it in terms of domestic issues and national security ones.  Most operational F-22s are based at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.  According to the state Department of Education, the average annual salary of a Virginia public school teacher in 2009 is $51,900.  So a public school teacher in Virginia deals with unruly fourth graders for an entire year to earn the amount it costs to fly an airplane for an hour.  An airplane America will not need unless we find ourselves in all-out war with China or Russia.  That doesn't make a lot of sense.

But let's not stop there.  Let's turn to Afghanistan where troops have faced equipment and personnel shortages since 2001. The average infantry staff sergeant serving as a squad leader there--a person without whom counterinsurgency operations simply could not take place--makes around $32,500 a year.  A first lieutenant platoon leader commanding a rural outpost in Pashtunistan makes around $41,800.  You can add on, say, $10,000 to these positions for hazardous duty pay, housing, etc.  Either way, the annual salaries of these critical personnel are more or less in line with what it costs to fly an F-22 for an hour.  

That we would spend as much money in an hour flying a nearly useless fighter jet as we do paying critical personnel to fight the war on the ground is obscene.  Many would say the teacher salary comparison is even worse.  If I thought this jet would help enhance our national security at any time in the next 25 years, I'd offer a full-throated defense for its continued production.  But because the program lives on as a contractor-driven Cold War zombie hunting for Congressional brains, it's just not something I can support.  The money presently being allocated for more F-22s should instead be used to address the threats we might face in the near- to medium-term future--and not our Cold War foes.
Brandon Friedman :: Over $44,000 an Hour to Fly: Putting the F-22 in Perspective
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Over $44,000 an Hour to Fly: Putting the F-22 in Perspective | 5 comments
More mechanization by Boston Dynamaic's robotic "Big Dog" as (0.00 / 0)
Special Forces train to use real Mules for today's warfare.

http://www.bostondynamics.com/...
http://www.marsoc.usmc.mil/new...

I'm thinkin' with you that there is point where invention can not replace perspiration in getting the mission accomplished. Especially, when the cost for extreme mechanization can not be justified.

The F-22 seems to be a fuel guzzling show piece for air shows and pork for politicians constituencies.  

Find My Legislators (0.00 / 0)
I'm trying to find a list of the Representatives and Senators who signed this letter to Obama in support of the F-22 but all I can find is the letter itself on Chambliss' website. Any suggestions?
International Arms Race, Sales (0.00 / 0)
F-22s are wanted by Japan who says they're better than having NUKES.

China is rumored to be developing a J-XX, their answer to the F-22

F-35s to India.

Russia's F-35 is rumored to be on the drawing board.

Pakistan has F-16s, will they modernize with F-35s.

Iran has F-14s

Here's a Google result for al Qaeda Air
Force:
http://www.strategypage.com/ht...

Just find this stuff interesting.

One would think 180-plus F-22s are enough (0.00 / 0)
This is an example of the "Point Paper" mentality I alluded to elsewhere.  Wing Commanders certainly wouldn't mind having more hardware to manage, but even they see the conundrum: where's the real need!  Do we need any more than the approximate 187 count?

The really distressing part is that congressional hacks are pushing this, while the DOD is being realistic: they don't want any more funding here.  The DOD should win this one.

A fine example (I know this is getting long...) is ex-Senator Sam Nunn, D-GA, who disrupted the entire fleet of B-1B Bombers back in the 80s.  He simply wanted a "few" B1s in Georgia, and he won.  Many millions of dollars were wasted in moving the planes, building the infrastructure, personnel, more hardware, etc.  It was pointless.  When he left, the B1s were quickly inventoried back to their original (two) bases of assignment.

Determining Requirements (0.00 / 0)
Major Dorrer, student at CGSC

President Obama promised that he will veto any bill that supports the acquisition of F-22s beyond the 187 already funded by Congress.  This position is supported by the current Secretary of Defense.  An underlying issue related to the acquisition of additional F-22s is the requirements process.  The Air Force is not alone; all services need to validate their requirement documents based on current and future threats.

The materiel developers will request funding based on approved requirement documents.  However, how did the Air Force determine the valid and critical requirement for the F22?  Senior military leaders and politicians are pushing for additional F22s even though the President and Secretary of Defense presumably do not believe they are required at this time to ensure our national security.  Military services should not base requirement solely on a "Cold War" mentality.  Based on the current trend of threats facing our country, all services need to re-look critical requirements.    

I completely support President Obama's position of not funding any additional F22s.  With a federal deficit that will exceed $1 Trillion for the first time, the current administration must make many hard decisions regarding the funding of both military and social programs.    

"The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government."

[ Parent ]
Over $44,000 an Hour to Fly: Putting the F-22 in Perspective | 5 comments
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