Tactical Aircraft: F-15 Replacement Issues (Testimony, 05/05/94,
GAO/T-NSIAD-94-176).

The Pentagon plans to replace the F-15 fighter aircraft with the F-22.
GAO testified that the threat that the F-22 must meet has declined since
1991 when the F-22 program entered engineering and manufacturing
development.  GAO's comparison of the performance capabilities of the
F-15 against those of the current projected threat indicate that the
F-15 will be superior to the most advanced threat system for a number of
years past 2003, the planned operational capability date of the F-22.
Further, the F-15 can be economically maintained in a structurally sound
condition until 2015 or later.  The F-22 aircraft is not designed for
multiple missions or joint use among the services, even though the
Defense Department has indicated that these are important features for
tactical aircraft modernization.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-94-176
     TITLE:  Tactical Aircraft: F-15 Replacement Issues
      DATE:  05/05/94
   SUBJECT:  Defense contingency planning
             Advanced weapons systems
             Military aircraft
             Military procurement
             Defense capabilities
             National defense operations
             Air warfare
             Fighter aircraft
             Life cycle costs
             Military cost control
IDENTIFIER:  F-15 Aircraft
             F-15C Aircraft
             F-22 Aircraft
             Soviet Union
             Warsaw Pact
             China
             Russia
             DOD Bottom-Up Review
             DOD Joint Advance Strike Aircraft Technology Program
             Joint Direct Attack Weapon
             Airborne Warning and Control System
             AWACS
             
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