Product Overview

The F-22 was the world's first fifth generation and most capable fighter aircraft. It combined very low observable stealth, supercruise speed, extreme agility, high tactical maneuver ceiling, and information fusion for unmatched "first look, first shot, first kill" capability. Technology challenges caused its development to exceed cost and schedule estimates. Procurement quantities were reduced from 750 to 187 aircraft due to the OSD "buy to budget" acquisition strategy. What had the F-22 program office learned about alternatives, development, production, industrial base, modernization, sustainability, and a myriad of other business case issues that would be valuable to future aircraft program teams?

Learning Objectives

•Examine strategic issues that have plagued tactical fighter aircraft development and how to overcome them. •Develop a tight business case for the F-22 and other aircraft using threat scenarios. •Use risk analysis to decide on the right aircraft for each threat scenario. •Compare the development strategy for the F-22 with the F/A-18 fighter aircraft.