Why spend so much on useless planes?

Just wondering I have had this question in my head for quite a while now.

Its amazing and wonderful that US can build/design all these super top secret and probably the best aircrafts in the whole world but do we really use them??

It must be true that these aircrafts cost over millions and millions of dollars just to build one.

Do we really use them in wars? Or would we even use them in wars since they costs so much to make just one. If it gets shot down then thats really bad

How many regular jet fighters do we already have in US? Enough to take over the whole world perhaps?


Just wondering if anyone can answer some of my questions THanks!

China outnumbers our standing airforce ten to one. now that is one heck of a good reason to have good fighter jets.

And yes, they're all used. Remember two years ago in Iraq?

Exactly other air forces cant keep up with the quality so they produce in numbers. We have to have better jets to still be on top, and yes if they have to, they will be used.





West Point, Out.

The planes that they create wouldn't be shown until a time that they need them, like a surprise weapon for if America goes to war with another strong country like China, India etc.
The Germans kept making and improving their planes, tanks and guns from WWI to WWII even though they didn't have plans to have another war that soon, so when they went to war they had new technology while England was stuck with alot of technology from WWI...same thing for America I suppose.

ArchangelOfCool I guess you referring to the “Black Projects” these aircraft or weapons do not become public until a very long time after they are out into service. And when they become public you can bet that new and better aircraft are being developed, its like a cycle.

when they become public you can bet that new and better aircraft are being developed, its like a cycle.

I totally agree with that, always wanna have something up your sleeve.

Anyone Got any real Good solid evidence that China Has more Fighters then the US last I heard most of chinese Fighters were out dated and i also heard the the J8 makes up more then 50% of the Chinese airforce,

Some other numbers that i heard was that the US has around a total of 6000-7000 combat Aircraft including USAF and USN also heard that China was along way from haveing even the 4th or 3rd largest Airforce

But i also have no proof of what i said above just some random stuff that i come accross doing Military Aircraft searching on the web, most websites tend to Vary in stats for planes and how many each country actually has

If there was a world war three or any other kind of war, will we be using jets to fight other countries?? Isnt it true that everyone has nuclear weapons rockets warheads etc etc? But I guess that kind of missile weapons will be only used in huge extreme wars.

Can someone please give some ideas of situations where these $$$$$ super top notch planes can be used? Especially the falying saucer ones

Originally posted by zakattack
i also heard the the J8 makes up more then 50% of the Chinese airforce,

You can see the inventory here
www.globalsecurity.org...

Most of the old ones are being disposed of pretty rapidly. Maybe junked, used for less useful roles, turned into suicide UAVs, maybe dummies for weapon tests, etc.

For everyone who says high price USAF planes are useless think about this - NO AMERICAN SOLDIER died because of enemy fire from the air(planes) since Korean war. It's more than 50 years!!

Just a question, if WW3 would happen, would the US take alot of mothballed aircraft back into service? like all those F-4's, B-52's, A-6's etc?

Originally posted by longbow
For everyone who says high price USAF planes are useless think about this - NO AMERICAN SOLDIER died because of enemy fire from the air(planes) since Korean war. It's more than 50 years!!

Nah, your right, the grunts on the ground don't have to worry about enemy aircraft, they have to worry about their own bloody airforce from bombing them or their friendly forces!

Oh did you forget Vietnam... or wasn't that a war?

- Phil

Ground Zero: Aye to a degree I suppose a large amount of the newish aircraft would be rapidly processed for combat operations, e.g. F-16A/Bs, BuFFs, F-15s A/B hmm not sure about the A-6s... they had some structural problems that was one of the reasons for their "early" retirement.

Originally posted by gooseuk
Oh did you forget Vietnam... or wasn't that a war?

Has someone on the ground died because of NVA air attack (mig-21)?

I think he's talking about friendly fire. Those US soldiers may be able to survive enemy aircraft attacks but they can't survive their own aircraft attacks

Originally posted by Taishyou
I think he's talking about friendly fire. Those US soldiers may be able to survive enemy aircraft attacks but they can't survive their own aircraft attacks

Just compare the rare friendly fire damage to the posibility of such regular attacks by enemy planes. Remeber when A-10 atacked the Spec Ops convoy in Kurdistan? Just imagine enemy would do it regulary. FF is only small price when compared to something like that.

[edit on 25-4-2005 by longbow]

I agree FF happens on a small percentage when you consider the number of sorties and operations there were in Vietnam and all subsequent war since then, besides the teach in Vietnam was crap ocmpared to now.
So to compare FF incident to having enemy planes bomb you A every day is dumb.

And if scratched planes are put back into service due to a huge war, I hope the F-14 get put back into service

Longbow has a point. When is the last time American soldiers were bombed by an enemy? US air superiority has prevented that.

the us hasnt really fought a war where superior jets are needed in a long time. but whent the time comes would u rather be behind/equal to the enemy with low tech or have a few nice shiny f22's out there kickin a$$ and dominating the sky

I agree that we do need stay ahead of other countries incase if something does happen but Ive heard a lot about these super top secret jets being build and tons and tons of money used just to make one and then its just kept in a hanger, everything discontinued about it. What will those planes be used for?? *especially those flying sausers and V shaped flying objects*