HMM: The F-22 Raptor Is Basically Wasting Away Thanks To Air Force Mismanagement.

F-22 availability, already diminished by maintenance problems endemic to the complex and finicky stealth fighter, has been further reduced by the small size of F-22 squadrons and the practice of deploying small detachments from individual squadrons overseas. The combined effect has been to reduce F-22 availability to the point where there are neither enough planes to meet mission requirements nor to provide pilots with sufficient training for air-to-air combat, which is the Raptor’s primary role

“The small size of F-22 squadrons and wings has contributed to low aircraft availability rates,” according to GAO. “Further, the Air Force practice of deploying a small portion of a squadron makes it difficult for F-22 squadrons, as currently organized, to make aircraft available for their missions at home station. The Air Force would also face difficulties generating aircraft to support DOD’s concepts for using distributed operations in high threat environments with its current F-22 squadron organization.”

Primary blame rests with former SecDef Donald Rumsfeld, who “arbitrarily chopped the F-22 program down to 180 aircraft.” He was not, in Michael Corleone’s memorable phrase, a wartime consigliere, and should have bowed out after 9/11 when it became clear that George W. Bush’s original intentions for Defense had been obsolesced.