http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-07/03/content_11644059.htm
俄媒稱美軍F-22"猛禽"戰鬥機存在致命缺陷 
2009年07月03日 08:22:39 　來源：東方網 

    據俄羅斯《紐帶》網報道，美國洛克希德·馬丁公司前工程師達羅爾·奧爾森近日向媒體透露，美軍裝備的F-22“猛禽”戰鬥機存在著嚴重構造缺陷，而且這一缺陷是洛·馬公司的研制人員在戰機交付軍方前便已知曉的。

    據曾參與“猛禽”戰鬥機研制工作的達羅爾·奧爾森介紹，對F-22來說，其所使用的隱形涂料其實存在著很可能是致命的缺陷，而且洛·馬公司早在戰機交付前便已掌握了這一情況。他指出，洛·馬公司的研究人員曾發現，F-22所使用的隱形涂料在吸收雷達波方面的效果並不像想象中的那樣理想，這導致戰機有可能會在較遠的距離上被敵方雷達所發現。

    除此之外，達羅爾·奧爾森還宣稱，由于隱形涂層的質量較差，還有可能導致極其危險的事故發生。他指出，在2008年時就曾發生過F-22表面涂料脫落的情況，其中部分涂料還被吸入了發動機，險些釀成事故。當時那起意外給美國軍方造成的損失高達上百萬美元。不過，這一明顯缺陷至今仍未得到解決。

    達羅爾·奧爾森長期以來一直在洛·馬公司從事飛機隱形技術的研究。除了F-22項目外，他還曾參與了F-117隱形戰鬥轟炸機機和B-2隱形戰略轟炸機的研制。

    目前，雖然美國國會已批準在２０１０年度的國防預算中增加用于制造F-22的撥款，但美國軍方卻堅持暫停採購該型戰機。

    需要提醒的是，F-22此前也曾被爆出過機體構造方面的缺陷。兩年前曾有媒體報道稱，F-22戰機的零件出現了生銹的現象，雖然採取了一定措施，但是效果並不理想。據悉，生銹的4個零件位于機體表面艙口。專家認為，生銹是因為制造機體板材、涂料和其他一些構件的不同金屬間產生了電化反應。

    最初設計時，F-22機體外殼採用了鋁原料，為了解決電化反應產生的生繡問題需要用鈦代替鋁，但這樣面臨著飛機重量和成本增加的問題，而且更致命的是換材料還會降低飛機的隱身效果，增加F-22的雷達反射率。

    據悉，美國空軍專家總共在17架F-22的部件上發現了電化生銹現象，而對每架“猛禽”進行除銹的開銷差不多要花50萬美元。據F-22項目負責人美國空軍上將穆爾說，全部替換的費用將達數百萬美元。

http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-06/25/content_11600682.htm
白宮威脅:增購F22將動用否決權 源起無人機 
2009年06月25日 16:37:23 　來源：新華網 

 
    新華網北京6月25日電（孫瑞博）據美國《防務新聞》網站消息，美國白宮方面24日強硬表態，如果國會同意增購F-22隱形戰鬥機，那麼2010年國防授權法案將被否決。

    強硬態度早有預料

    白宮的強硬言論來自于其就眾議院軍事委員會通過2010年國防授權議案的回應。白宮的強硬姿態似乎並沒有出乎國會的意料，一些議員早早表達了質疑。

    來自夏威夷州的眾議員艾伯克倫比18日就表示，奧巴馬根本不可能否決價值6800億的軍購案。"有誰能相信，當我們的士兵正在前線進行兩場戰爭，同時還準備執行其他任務的時候，國內的民眾會同意對軍購案行使否決權？”

    但是，該來的始終還是來了，艾伯克倫比發出質疑的6天後，白宮做出否決的威脅。白宮在一份政府政策聲明說，"政府強烈反對撥款3億6千9百萬美元，用于在2011財年購買F-22戰鬥機。"

    按照美國國防部的計劃，美軍將擁有187架F-22戰鬥機，聲明中稱"這足以滿足作戰需求。"聲明說，如果奧巴馬拿到的最終方案包括F-22購買計劃，總統的高級顧問將建議動用否決權。

    F-35戰機備用發動機存廢之爭

    眾議院軍事委員會通過的議案還有一點令奧巴馬政府感到不快，那就是眾議院同意為F-35戰鬥機備用發動機購買項目撥款6億3百萬美元。

    F-35戰鬥機的備用發動機近來一直是美國國防部與國會間的分歧所在。國防部一直在努力取消"多余的"備用發動機項目，而國會則每年該項目追加資金。

    國會認為，有必要發展備用發動機，以備原始發動機出現問題。眾議院軍事委員會在國防授權議案的一份報告中寫到，美軍最終將有大約90%戰鬥機使用聯合戰鬥機發動機（即F-35戰鬥機發動機），"我們不能因為發動機故障，讓90%的戰鬥機停在機場。"

    白宮還反對議案中對空軍應擁有316架大型運輸機的要求。聲明中認為國會的要求是為了便于購買空軍並不需要的C-17運輸機。同時，聲明中要求國會允許空軍將C-5運輸機和一些其他飛機退役。

    無人機項目被減 引發責難

    媒體認為，眾議院將"遠距離多功能無人機"項目預算削減了一半，達1億6千3百萬美元，因此才引起了白宮的責難。

    目前，美軍正身陷伊拉克和阿富汗戰場，不斷增長的傷亡使其對于可執行偵查、作戰任務的無人機有較大需求。

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4155482&c=AME&s=AIR
F-22s in Spending Bill May Spur White House Veto
By william matthews
Published: 24 Jun 2009 16:42

The White House is threatening to veto the 2010 defense authorization bill if Congress includes money for more F-22 stealth fighters.

The threat, which came June 24 in a three-page reaction to the House Armed Services Committee's version of the bill, was expected, and had already been discounted by some lawmakers.

Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, said June 18 that a presidential veto of the $680 billion spending bill is virtually out of the question.

"Does anybody seriously believe, given that we have troops in the field in two wars and the possibility of other deployments that may come up, that people in this country would put up with a veto?" Abercrombie asked. Besides, "it would be overridden in a nanosecond," he said.

But the threat is there, nonetheless.

"The administration strongly objects to the provisions in the bill authorizing $369 million in advanced procurement funds for F-22s in fiscal year 2011," a Statement of Administration Policy says.

The 187 F-22s now in service or under construction are "sufficient to meet operational requirements," the document says. "If the final bill presented to the president contains this provision, the president's senior advisers would recommend a veto."

The Obama administration is also unhappy about the House committee's decision to add $603 million to continue developing an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The engine dispute is an ongoing spat between the Pentagon and Congress. Presidential administrations have for several years tried to kill the alternative engine, contending that it is unnecessary, and each year Congress adds money to the budget to keep the program going.

Lawmakers say a second engine is needed in case the original develops a flaw. Eventually, about 90 percent of the U.S. military's fighters will run on the JSF engine, and "we cannot afford to have an engine glitch that grounds 90 percent of our fleet," the Armed Services Committee said in a report on the authorization bill.

The veto threat over the second engine was less direct. It warns of a veto if "the final bill presented to the president would seriously disrupt the F-35 program."

The administration also objects to a requirement in the bill that the Air Force must maintain 316 large airlifters. Lawmakers set the number so they could buy more C-17s despite Air Force claims that they are not needed.

And the administration wants restrictions removed from the authorization bill that block the Air Force from retiring some of its C-5 cargo planes and other aircraft.

The decision to cut $163 million - a 50 percent reduction - from the Extended Range Multi-Purpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program drew a White House rebuke. The surveillance UAVs are needed for force protection in current operations, the White House said.

http://www.dsti.net/News/54417.htm
蓋茨評論國會關於繼續F-22生產計畫的決議

    【據Def.Pro網站2009年06月19日報導】美國防部長Robert Gates說這（國會關於多採購12架F-22的決議）將是五角大樓打算削減F-22生產計畫後遇到的一個大問題。

    當記者問起國會的決定時，Gates 說：“這是我們在計畫中遇到的一個大問題，這與我先前向總統提交的計畫完全相反。”

    他重申，這次決議是與他的提議以及奧巴馬總統提出的預算相悖。

    當被問及此次必須由全部眾議院和參議院議員來表決的改動決議是否會被總統否決時，Gates說：“現在我還不想談及這麼遠，現在，我個人認為此決議將是一個大的問題。”

    此前，Gates計畫將F-22的生產量減少至187架，並在生產餘下四架戰機後，全面停止F-22猛禽戰機的生產。並且，他還提議主要採購F-35聯合打擊戰鬥機。

    早些時候，就職於參議院軍事委員會的Abercrombie對記者說，五角大樓應該認清楚國會才擁有決定權。(工業和資訊化部電子科學技術情報研究所　李亦豪) 

http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-06/22/content_11581756.htm
美眾議院要求防長研究對日出口F-22可能性 
2009年06月22日 15:26:55 　來源：中國新聞網 

    據日本共同社報道，美國眾議院軍事委員會17日通過的2010財政年度國防授權法案中加入了一項條款，要求國防部長蓋茨調查向日本出口最尖端戰鬥機F-22時的開發成本及影響，並研究出口的可能性。

    據報道，國會提出這一要求可能是由于受到了美國航空行業的強大壓力。F-22的對日出口尚存很多障礙，最否能否實現尚難預料。

http://www.dsti.net/News/54379.htm
美眾議院武裝部隊委員會通過再生產12架F-22戰鬥機的決議

[據美國《防務新聞》2009年6月17日報導] 儘管F-22“猛禽”隱身戰鬥機未參與真實作戰，但是在眾議院武裝部隊委員會6月17日淩晨的表決中，F-22經歷了“生與死”的鬥爭。

      就2010年國防預算問題爭論了16個小時之後，疲憊的委員會成員在淩晨2點30分進行了表決，以31票對30票的表決結果同意延續F-22專案，同時決定為另外採購12架F-22提供3.69億美元的預付定金。

      美國國防部長羅伯特•蓋茨本想以187架的採購數量結束F-22戰鬥機的生產，但是眾議院議員否決了他。

      3.69億美元的預付定金將用於新購12架“猛禽”戰鬥機的部件先期採購，而這些“猛禽”的最終花費約28億美元。

      一名眾議院助理聲稱，這些先期採購資金來源於能源部用於清除核武器站的資金預算。

      儘管F-22是美國空軍最先進、最昂貴的戰鬥機，但是F-22從未投入實戰。蓋茨部長在國會上曾多次重複強調這一點。

      當蓋茨部長4月6日宣佈結束F-22戰鬥機停產時，他說：“並非我本人要關閉F-22的生產線。我從空軍得到的建議是沒有多於187架F-22的軍事需求。”

      以前，美國空軍稱需要381架F-22戰鬥機。最近，在蓋茨將F-22的生產上限定為187架時美國空軍將需求數量降至了243架。

      這份挽救F-22的修正案是由來自猶他州的共和黨議員Rob Bishop提出的。Bishop的助手說：“我們非常願意為新購12架F-22戰鬥機提供全部的資金。”但是，武裝部隊委員會主席Ike Skelton（共和黨議員）否決了在2010財年國防預算中申請全部資金的提議。

      Bishop的助手稱，Bishop之所以能夠將本應用於國防環境核武器站清除的3.69億美元挪用於F-22，是因為這些核武器站清除工作比原計劃提前了或是它們的風險沒有達到必需在2010撥付資金的程度。這已經完全能夠保證F-22的生產線免於關閉，但是Bishop和其他委員會成員相信美國空軍對F-22的需求遠不止這12架。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  蘇海軍）

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4144686&c=AME&s=AIR
F-22 Funds Approved in Wee-Hours Vote
By william matthews
Published: 17 Jun 2009 17:04

It hasn't flown in combat yet, but the F-22 stealth fighter prevailed in a life-or-death battle in an early-morning vote June 17 by the House Armed Services Committee.

After more than 16 hours of squabbling over the 2010 defense budget, weary committee members voted 31-30 at 2:30 a.m. to keep the F-22 program alive by making a $369 million down payment on 12 more planes.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had intended to end F-22 production at 187 fighters, but House lawmakers overruled him.

The $369 million would buy advance procurement parts to begin production on a dozen new fighters. Ultimately, the planes would cost about $2.8 billion.

The advance procurement money would be taken from funds budgeted for Energy Department cleanups at nuclear weapons sites, a House aide said.

Although it is the Air Force's most advanced and most expensive fighter, the F-22 has never been flown in combat, a point Gates has stressed repeatedly in appearances before Congress.

When he announced April 6 that he wanted to end F-22 production, Gates said, "For me, it was not a close call. … The military advice that I got was that there is no military requirement for numbers of F-22s beyond the 187."

In the past, the Air Force has said it needed 381 F-22s. More recently it lowered the number to 243 until Gates put a 187-plane cap on the program.

But the fighter is popular in Congress, where it is praised as providing the Air Force with a high-tech advantage over potential foes, and is prized for creating jobs. Plane maker Lockheed has emphasized that the F-22 program employees 25,000 workers directly and another 90,000 in companies that produce F-22 parts in 44 states.

The amendment to save the F-22 was introduced by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.

"We would liked to have funded a full buy of 12 aircraft," an aide to Bishop said. But Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton prohibited amendments that would add to the overall cost of the defense budget.

Bishop was able to shift $369 million for the F-22s from defense environmental cleanups at sites that are projected to be ahead of schedule or are at risk of not being able to spend money allocated for 2010, the aide said.

It's enough to keep the F-22 production line from shutting down, but Bishop and others on the committee believe the Air Force needs more than 12 additional F-22s, he said.

While the Armed Services Committee was saving future F-22s, the full House approved spending $600 million to buy the final four planes that Gates wants. Money for those planes is included in a $106 billion "emergency supplemental" bill used to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Language in that bill prohibits using the F-22 money to shut down the F-22 production line, and it permits the Defense Department to consider building a less capable version of the F-22 for sale overseas.

The war-funding bill thwarts Gates' efforts to end another aircraft program, the C-17 cargo plane.

Gates said the 205 C-17s that are already in the fleet or under construction are enough, and he included no money in the 2010 defense budget for additional C-17s. But the House and Senate added $2.7 billion to war-funding bill to buy eight C-17s and seven smaller C-130J cargo planes.

The additional C-17s are "pure pork," said Christopher Hellman, a defense budget analyst for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. Buying more C-17s "can only be characterized as a jobs program."

And C-17 maker Boeing has done just that. In February the company boasted that C-17 production sustained 30,000 jobs in 43 states, with concentrations in California, Texas, Missouri and Connecticut.

http://n.yam.com/afp/international/200906/20090619340099.html
美國防部長蓋茨稱國會延長生產F-22是大問題   
 
法新社╱簡長盛 2009-06-19 12:50
    
（法新社華盛頓18日電）美國國防部長蓋茨（Robert Gates）今天說，國會議員拒絕他勸告，撥款生產10多架F-22戰鬥機是一個「大問題」。

眾議院軍事委員會昨天通過一項修正案，延長F-22猛禽戰鬥機生產。F-22是一種精密的匿蹤戰鬥機，但五角大廈尋求中止生產。

議員是以31票對30票通過兩年內提供3億6900萬美元購買零件，以組裝由洛克希德馬丁公司（LockheedMartin）和波音公司（Boeing）製造的12架或更多的F-22 。

蓋茨在被問到眾議院軍事委員會這項決定的問題時說：「我要說，這是一個大問題，此事給了我一個大問題。」

他說，這項表決結果與他的建議和歐巴馬總統建議的預算背道而馳。

此案仍需眾議院全院和參議院通過才能送交歐巴馬簽署。蓋茨在被問到歐巴馬是否會否決此案時，蓋茨說：「目前我不會去想那麼遠，我認為，形容它是一個大問題已可以表示我的立場。」

蓋茨尋求只生產187架F-22，也就是只要再生產4架，但許多共和黨人反對歐巴馬政府的這項計畫。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090618/pl_afp/uspoliticsmilitarybudgetaircrafttankergates_20090618231307
Gates calls US Congress move on F-22 jet a 'problem'

Thu Jun 18, 7:12 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday a move by US lawmakers to reject his advice and fund the production of a dozen more F-22 fighters was a "big problem."

The US House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday passed an amendment extending production of the F-22 Raptor, a sophisticated stealth fighter aircraft the Pentagon has sought to scrub.

Lawmakers voted 31 to 30 to provide 369 million dollars over two years to purchase parts to construct 12 more of the Raptors, built by Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

"I would say it's a big problem. I have a big problem with it," Gates told reporters when asked about the committee's decision.

The vote was contrary to his recommendations and President Barack Obama's proposed budget, he said.

Asked if the move, which must still be approved by the full House of Representatives and the Senate, would be vetoed by the president, Gates said: "I'm not going to go that far at this point. I think describing it as a big problem suggests where I am on it."

Gates had sought to cap production at 187 jets, meaning only four more would be built. But many Republicans balked at the administration's plans.

The F-22 program has its origins in the Cold War, and its advocates say the Raptor is crucial to maintaining US air superiority as China and other possible adversaries invest in modern fighters.

But critics say a larger fleet of F-22s is unnecessary at a time when funds are needed for weapons more suited to counter-insurgency campaigns like those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Raptor has not been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Gates has instead proposed a major investment in F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

The defense secretary rejected criticism that he has moved away from conventional weaponry in favor of irregular or counter-insurgency capabilities.

"You know, a trillion dollars for the Joint Strike Fighter, a fifth-generation fighter that has some capabilities the F-22 does not, is not a trivial investment in the future," Gates said.

The defense secretary also said he would go ahead with plans to open competition for a politically sensitive contract to replace the aging fleet of air refueling aircraft by "mid-summer."

The Pentagon awarded the 35-billion-dollar contract for 179 aircraft to the EADS/Northrop Grumman team in February 2008, but Boeing successfully challenged the decision with the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-06/19/content_11565976.htm
美軍擬增購12架F-22戰機 日本有望獲"猛禽" 
2009年06月19日 09:28:08 　來源：環球時報 

    據美國《空軍時報》6月17日報道，美國眾議院16日通過了總額達1060億美元的補充預算案。在補充預算案通過前的最後關頭，眾議院軍事常設委員會將一項修正案"硬塞"進去，即追加3.69億美元用來購買12架F-22猛禽戰鬥機，使美軍擬採購的猛禽戰鬥機數量由187架增加到199架。

    美國國內就F-22猛禽戰鬥機的採購數量一直存在較大爭議。這項修正案的提出者、共和黨議員畢曉普認為，美軍應該至少採購243架猛禽戰鬥機才能夠應對未來的安全威脅。而美國國防部長蓋茨在今年4月份宣布，將關停F-22猛禽戰鬥機生產線，最終將採購數量控制在187架。眾議院軍事常設委員會也分成了截然對立的兩個陣營，最後以31比30的投票結果通過了的該修正案。改修正案還要求空軍不要退役250架老化戰鬥機，並購置更多的F-15、F-16和F-18戰鬥機。

    3.69億美元距採購12架猛禽戰鬥機還差得很遠，該修正案解釋稱，這筆資金將主要用來購買生產F-22戰鬥機的材料。有趣的是，這筆錢是從五角大樓的衛生清潔費中擠出的。

    美國眾議院16日通過的補充預算案還讓日本看到了購買F-22戰鬥機的一絲希望。該補充預算案新加入了4500萬美元的費用，調查是否應該解除F-22的出口禁令，兵許可空軍花錢用于F-22"可供出口機型的開發"。日本共同社評論稱，"美國推出的出口型F-22猛禽戰鬥機，將成為日本航空自衛隊新一代主力戰機（FX）的有力候選機型。"此前，日本防務省一直希望購買F-22，但均遭到美國拒絕。據悉，補充預算案還將經過參議院審議以及總統簽署，才能最終生效。（谷陽）

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_airforce_f22s_hasc_061709/
House committee adds funds for 12 more F-22s

By Donna Borak - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 17, 2009 16:31:57 EDT
  
WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-22 program got an unexpected lift Wednesday after House lawmakers approved $369 million to continue production of the radar-evading fighter jets.

The surprise amendment, likely to reopen a debate over the necessity of the Cold War planes that cost $140 million each, was approved by the House Armed Services Committee by a vote of 31-30, along party lines.

The extra funding was adopted as part of the 2010 Defense Department spending bill mark-up. The bill still needs to make its way through the full House and Senate.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has proposed buying 187 of the planes. But that’s dozens fewer than Lockheed and its supporters in Congress had hoped for. Part of Gates’ proposed $534 billion defense budget represents a shift away from outdated, Cold War weapon systems to futuristic programs aimed at unconventional foes.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, proposed the request that passed Wednesday, which would provide initial funding for 12 more planes.

Bishop wanted full funding to buy 12 jets, which would have cost $2.8 billion, but opted to pursue a compromise with those concerned about costs, according to his spokesman.

“There is no study or analysis we have been able to see at the committee in support of Secretary Gates’ assertion that 187 aircraft is sufficient to meet future air threats to our homeland a decade from now,” said Bishop.

Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin said it “remains confident that the congressional review process will lead to a healthy and full examination of budgetary and economic impacts, strategy, force structure and threats.”

http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-06/10/content_11519914.htm
美助理防長否定日本引進F-22戰機的可能性 
2009年06月10日 15:08:21 　來源：中國新聞網 

    美國國防部負責亞太安全事務的助理國防部長葛瑞格森9日否定了日本防衛相濱田靖一等要求引進的F-22戰鬥機的可能性。

    據日本共同社報道，葛瑞格森表示，修改F-22禁運措施相關法律的可能性很小，且國防部長蓋茨已決定暫停生產該戰鬥機。

    日本現有的F-4戰機即將到達使用年限，在下一代主力戰機的問題上，此前已有報道稱蓋茨在5月1日于華盛頓舉行的日美防長會談上向濱田推薦了F-35，但濱田表示希望引進F-22。

http://news.pchome.com.tw/internation/cna_business/20090609/index-12445245357228422011.html
美推薦F35 日被迫將放棄採購F22A戰機
2009-06-09 13:15:35　中央社記者張芳明東京2009年6月9日專電 

美國國防部發言人在華府首次公開表示，國防部長蓋茨(RobertGates)向日方推薦F35戰鬥機做為新一代主力戰鬥機。日本勢將被迫放棄中意的F22A戰鬥機。

日本媒體今天發自華府的報導指出，美國防部發言人在當地時間8日的記者會上指出，國會立法禁止把最先進的F22A猛禽式隱形戰鬥機對外國出口，因此蓋茨推薦日本購買美國開發中的F35戰鬥機。

蓋茨曾於4月上旬表示，在歐巴馬政府的重新檢討軍事裝備的措施之下，美國空軍將不再增購F22A戰機。洛克希德馬丁(Lockheed Martin)公司在交機187架之後，很可能停止這種先進戰鬥機的生產線。

日本防衛大臣濱田靖一今天在記者會上證實蓋茨向日本推薦F35戰機，但指出這種戰機還在開發階段，尚未有相關資料，若無法購買F22A戰機，將不限於F35戰機，也將考慮其他的機種，但防衛省基本上還是以F22A戰機為最優先考量對象，意味著尚未完全放棄希望。

日本為因應中國和俄羅斯空軍戰力的提升，已著手選擇下一代主力戰機，以取代目前約90架老舊的F4戰機。防衛省列入考慮的下一代主力戰鬥機種共有6種，除最中意的F22A之外，還包括美國的F35、F15FX和FA18E三種戰機以及歐盟製造的EURO FIGHTER和法國製造的戰機。

總共12架F22A戰機從5月起開始進駐琉球嘉手納美國空軍基地，是這種最先進戰鬥機第3度部署琉球。這種戰機有不易被雷達偵察到的隱形功能，且在超音速之下具有高度的空戰和對地面的攻擊能力，被視為當今全球最具威力的戰鬥機。

http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-06/09/content_11513840.htm
美力薦F-35作為主力戰機 日仍傾心F-22 
2009年06月09日 14:40:41 　來源：中國新聞網 

   綜合日本共同社報道，美國國防部發言人莫雷爾在8日的記者會上證實，美國國防部長蓋茨推薦日本將F-35作為其下一代主力戰機。

   這是美國政府官員首次公開表示向日方推薦F-35。盡管日本防衛相濱田靖一及航空自衛隊都希望獲得性能更強的F-22，但這一願望落空的可能性正變得越來越大。

   另一方面，日本防衛相濱田靖一在9日的記者會上再次表示希望引進F-22。

   濱田當天稱“我們仍然想要F-22”，關于美方有意出售的開發中的新一代戰機F-35，濱田表示“美國國防部長蓋茨也同我說過此事。如果F-22不行，我們將不限于F-35，也會將其他型號列入考慮范圍。”

   莫雷爾解釋稱，美國國會對F-22採取了禁運措施，“因此蓋茨才向日本推薦F-35”。關于F-22，蓋茨已宣布由于造價過于昂貴等原因，作為奧巴馬政府調整裝備的一環將停止下單。這意味著F-22可能面臨停產。

   日本現有的F-4戰機即將到達使用年限，在下一代主力戰機的問題上，此前已有報道稱蓋茨在5月1日于華盛頓舉行的日美防長會談上向濱田推薦了F-35，但濱田表示希望引進F-22。莫雷爾則在記者會上暗示，5月30日在新加坡舉行的日美防長會談可能也涉及了同樣的話題。

   日本航空自衛隊正在加緊選定機型，考察對象包括F-22、F-35等6種機型。具有隱形能力的F-22被視為最大熱門。