Israel Matzav

A debt of honor: The F-22 to Israel and Japan

Ed Timperlake argues that the despite the Obama administration's desire to cut off production of the F-22 Raptor fighter plane (pictured) it should nevertheless be provided to Israel and Japan as a debt of honor.

America, Israel and Japan are now at a crossroad. America may not be able to sell an export version of the best fighter in the world, the F-22, to Israel and Japan. The reason is the Administration's current insistence on holding fast to a DOD-budgeted production run of F-22s that will stop soon at 187. The harsh reality of stopping F-22 production will be two American allies who are in increasing mortal danger will not have access to the absolute best when they really need America's help.

It has been argued that the F-35 is a great substitute for the F-22. It is true the F-35, which is still slipping on delivery schedule, promises to be a very capable air-to-ground aircraft. However to determine the best aircraft to insure total Air Dominance, the F-22 production line should be kept open pending results of a real world instrumented and calibrated Air to Air fly off against the F-35. The old saying "fly before buy" might just work for equipping the USAF, Israel and Japan with sufficient F-22s.

...

The F-22 Raptor puts a marker down that America stands with our allies when it really counts. The F-22 is the ultimate deterrent Aircraft for Israel and Japan, because it is so dominant and therefore would increase stability in both regions. Any adversary will think twice before attacking because it has no defense against F-22 including hiding behind a Russian state-of-the-art S-300 Air defense missile system.

Israel and Japan gave us their trust and we must be able to sell both countries the best fighter in the world the F-22 - the Raptor. It is a debt of honor that transcends marginal American DOD budget debates.

Read it all.

Last Wednesday Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) pulled an amendment that he and John McCain (R-Az.) introduced that would have cut off funding for the F-22. And as of Thursday, the battle over funding for the F-22 continued. The Senate was scheduled to vote up or down on the F-22 on Monday, with the F-22 expected to pass over the protests of Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:29 AM