"Henry J Cobb" wrote in message
...
Kevin Brooks wrote:
"Henry J Cobb" wrote in message
...
In this scenario the F/A-22s wouldn't be very useful because they would
be operating very far from their bases and even with air to air
refueling they still can't be rearmed without returning to base,
especially if they can't get any permission slips from the other
countries in the area.

Actually, I am ashamed (God forbid agreeing with the HenryBot; could be
indicative of a growing loss of sanity)to admit that until recently I
too
was of the opinion that the F/A-22 would have to be a non-player,
until that
is I noticed that Okinawa, where we *already* have basing rights, is
within
range for the F/A-22. Guess you missed that one, huh?

I'm sorry, but you seem to have misread my post again.

No, and nice sidestep of the "only two nations" bit...


Use of Okinawa requires the permission of the Japanese government, which
might not want to get involved in a shooting war with the Chinese.

No, it does actually does not really require their approval. The latitude
for the US to use Okinawa bases as it saw fir has been codified in treaty
format since as early as 1952: "Such forces may be utilised to contribute to
the maintenance of international peace and security in the Far East and to
the security of Japan..." Note the "and" in that sentence from the original
agreement. When the treaty granting reversion of Okinawa to Japanese control
was negotiated, the following clause was included: "the return of the
administrative rights over Okinawa...should not hinder the effective
discharge of the international obligations assumed by the United States for
the defence of countries in the Far East including Japan." Note the use of
"including".

See: http://www.niraikanai.wwma.net/pages/base/chap2-1.html


Can you name a base that doesn't require either a permission slip or all
day flying there and back every time the F/A-22 cycles through it's
limited load of internal missiles?

As I just showed you, Okinawa does not require a permission slip. Nor, at a
range of a bit over 500 miles from Taiwan, does it require F/A-22's to fly
"all day" to get there. More like a bit under one hour at likely economical
cruise speed.


If you use the wing hardpoints for missiles or fuel you give up a lot of
that stealth.

As shown above, not really required. And if it *were*, then dropping the
tanks would do a reasonable job of stealthing her back up, at least as far
as any likely PLA fighter or nascent AWACS radars are concerned.


I like the F-35, but I can't see the point of spending $11.7 billion
dollars to add the "A" to F/A-22.

But we are not spending $11.7 billion to add the "A".

Brooks


http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04391.pdf

-HJC