Tactical Aircraft: F-15 Replacement is Premature as Currently Planned.
Abstract
In December 1993, a report was issued to the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services and the Subcommittees on Defense, Committees on Appropriations, a classified report on the F-22 as the planned replacement for the F-15. This is an unclassified version of that report. The report presents the results of the first of a series of reviews to conduct on the F-22 program. We currently have underway a review of the program's development progress and a review of the management of F-22 software development. The development and production of F-22 air superiority fighters is estimated to cost $99.1 billion (then-year dollars). The F-22, with operational capability planned for 2003, is designed to replace the Air Force's F-15 air superiority fighter, which began operations in the mid-1970s. To ascertain why the F-22 was needed to replace the F-15, we have evaluated information provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) describing performance characteristics of foreign weapon systems that may be encountered in air-to-air combat, and compared it with features of the F-15 weapon system. Considering the huge investments required for tactical aviation modernization programs, we also evaluated whether the F-22, as designed, had the potential for joint use among the services and for use in multiple missions, which are being emphasized by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition. Appendix I contains our review's scope and methodology.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 25, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA317437
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office