F-22 Fighter

Ronald Fraser missed the mark in his attack on the F-22 (Opinion, Nov. 28). He claims the Air Force is hiding the true cost of the plane. Pure economics are a strong argument for this program. Even if we don’t build the F-22, we must have an air superiority fighter for the foreseeable future. That fighter likely would be a replacement F-15, which would cost almost as much to produce as the F-22 and much more to operate. Taxpayers would lose the initial $23-billion investment in the F-22.

We must consider the costs in lives of not fielding the F-22. Today, the F-15 is at or below parity with new fighters available on the world market; and it is vulnerable to widely available surface-to-air missiles. By 2030, the F-15 will be hopelessly outdated. We are not building the F-22 for today--we’re building it to guarantee air supremacy for decades to come. Weighed against this requirement, the F-22’s technology is unmatched, and its testing is proving its worth. The Raptor’s true value must be measured in the American lives saved through dominance of the skies in future combat and also by conflicts prevented because others understand and fear our unmatched combat power.

F. WHITTEN PETERS

Secretary of the Air Force

Washington