On Jun 22, 4:24 pm, Mike wrote:
U.S. Fighter Modernization Plans: Near-Term Choices.
Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publicati...070620.US_Figh...

Thank you for publishing.

interesting data. The chart implies an F22 costs c. $300m? I hadn't
realised the plan is to keep so many F15s flying for so much longer.

The actual table says a new F16 costs $60m (but doesn't include a
comparable figure for the F22).

You can see the making of the downward spiral. Cut the number of
F35s, unit price increases, therefore buy fewer, therefore unit price
increase, therefore...

That said, the option to kill the carrier-based one is probably a good
one.

Remembering that Macnamara (sic) left the UK high and dry on the TSR2/
F111, leading to the cancellation of the TSR2, a UK-person has got to
feel jittery about the threat to the VTOL F35.

Special Relationship, anyone? ;-).