5th Gen Fighters not fairing so well right now....

[MIKE JG]

Now the JSF has been grounded joining its 5th generation brother the F-22A:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

[CelticWarrior]

Are the wheels coming off the wagon already?

[MIKE JG]

It's like when Windows Vista first came out.....

[CelticWarrior]

So they'll be fixed in the 6th Gen then? Excellent!

[MIKE JG]

Pretty much.

[Firebird]

You are right about the F-22 problems, the 6th gen will be unmanned.

[Kurosaki]

...Ugh...it makes me sad/disapointed in programs like this where hundreds of billions are invested each year. Thank heavens for the F-16/15 etc. Cheap (by comparison), reliable, proven.

[jetmax]

We need to start buying these.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_F-15SE_Silent_Eagle

[Victory103]

We need to start buying these.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_F-15SE_Silent_Eagle

Agree, and new Blk 60 Vipers!

[MIKE JG]

And the mystery surrounding the F-22s only grows deeper:

Toxic Raptors Still Grounded, Pilots Losing Currency
An investigation that grounded the fleet of F-22 Raptors back in May, "has since expanded to include all aspects of the aircraft," according to the Air Force Times, leaving deliveries on hold and pilots hoping for simulator time. There are less than 160 Raptors deployed (accounting for roughly $65 billion) and two F-22 simulators -- one at Langley and another at Tyndall Air Force Base. The actual jets have been grounded because they appear to be poisoning their pilots. Tests have found multiple toxins in the blood of Raptor pilots affected by symptoms similar to hypoxia while flying the jets. And the Air Force hasn't been able to source the problem, leading to a cascade of complications.

The blood tests turned up chemicals from oil fumes, burned antifreeze and propane, according to the Air Force Times. "There is a lot of nasty stuff getting pumped into the pilots' bloodstream through what they're breathing from that OBOGS [On-Board Oxygen Generation System]. That's fact," one former F-22 pilot said. "How bad it is, what type it is, exactly how much of it, how long — all these things have not been answered." Deliveries have been effectively halted because government test pilots can't fly the jets under the grounding order. Classes of incoming Raptor pilots have had their training altered and active pilots from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii have been seeking sim-time at either of two simulators on the east coast. According to Stars and Stripes, pilots must undergo complete re-qualification if they haven't flown in 210 days. The military is working to develop shorter re-qualification training and instructor pilots will be the first ones through the program when the jets come back on line. What was first thought to be an oxygen delivery problem leading to hypoxia -- and the possible cause of a fatal crash last November -- is apparently more complicated.

[MIKE JG]

But apparently the need to fly them and maintain pilot proficiency has outweighed the risks:

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123272608

9/19/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz have recently approved an implementation plan developed by Air Combat Command officials that will allow the F-22 Raptor to resume flight operations after a four-month stand down.

The commander of Air Combat Command directed a stand-down of the fleet May 3 as a safety precaution, following 12 separate reported incidents where pilots experienced hypoxia-like symptoms. The incidents occurred over a three-year period beginning in April 2008. Officials remain focused on the priorities of aircrew safety and combat readiness. The return-to-fly plan implements several risk mitigation actions, to include rigorous inspections, training on life support systems, and continued data collection.

"We now have enough insight from recent studies and investigations that a return to flight is prudent and appropriate," Schwartz said. "We're managing the risks with our aircrews, and we're continuing to study the F-22's oxygen systems and collect data to improve its performance."

In a task force approach to implementation, Air Combat Command officials developed a comprehensive incremental return-to-fly plan that balances safety and the expedient qualification of pilots against the inherent risks of flying advanced combat aircraft, officials said.

The entire fleet will undergo an extensive inspection of the life support systems before returning to flight, with follow-on daily inspections, officials said. The aircraft is capable and authorized to fly above 50,000 feet. Pilots will use additional protective equipment and undergo baseline physiological tests. The return-to-fly process will begin with instructor pilots and flight leads regaining their necessary proficiency, then follow with other F-22 wingmen.

Prior to the stand down, ACC officials convened a Class E Safety Investigation Board in January 2011 to look into hypoxia-related reports. At the same time, a Hypoxia Deep-Dive Integrated Product Team began an in-depth study on safety issues involving aircraft oxygen generation systems.

In June 2011, the Secretary of the Air Force directed the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board to continue the oxygen generation study concurrent with the ongoing SIB. A releasable report will be made available later this year.

The F-22 Raptor entered service in 2005. As of May 2011, the Air Force has fielded 170 of the aircraft. As America's primary air superiority weapon system, the F-22 has flown more than 300 missions in support of Operation Noble Eagle and deployed on a rotational basis to the Pacific region and Southwest Asia. F-22 overseas deployments support the Department of State's Theater Security Program, formal arrangements with our foreign partners to establish defense cooperation, promote regional stability, and deter potential aggression.

(Courtesy of the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs)