From Ares

 

No Raptor at Le Bourget

Posted by Amy Butler at 6/1/2009 10:59 AM CDT

 

The U.S. Air Force's F-22 is not going to make an appearance at the Paris Air Show later this month.

 

 

Service officials cite deployments and operational requirements as the reason the service's premier stealthy twin-engine fighter will not fly at the air show. "Because of air expeditionary deployments and operational requirements, the Air Force has decided not to send the F-22 to participate in the 2009 Paris Air Show," according to Air Force officials.

 

The Raptor will surely be missed. Last year's flying display at the Farnborough air show captured the gaze of onlookers as the fighter demonstrated its superior agility and thrust vector control maneuverability.

 

Two squadrons of F-22s are now in the Pacific -- one in Guam and another in Kadena. The fighter has also been tasked at times to support combat air patrols over U.S. territory, which are part of the stateside air defense mission.

From Ares

 

More About Yanking F-22 from Paris Air Show

Posted by David A. Fulghum at 6/1/2009 3:07 PM CDT

 

There are more reasons why the F-22 isn't going to Paris.

 

On an unofficial basis, there are three reasons. First, it costs too much to take it to France and fly it twice a day at the air show.

 

The second reason is why spend all the money when there are no international customers because of a congressional ban and the projected end of the production line. Not that there isn't still interest. Japanese officials told Aviation Week last week that they need JSF performance as part of cruise missile defense on the western approaches to Japan.

 

And finally, the accusation that France spied on India's Su-30MKIs at Red Flag has again heightened espionage fears that had kept the F-22 away from France in the past.

 

Aviation Week's Amy Butler blogged earlier that the U.S. Air Force cited deployments and operational requirements as the reason the service's premier stealthy twin-engine fighter would not fly at the air show.

 

"Because of air expeditionary deployments and operational requirements, the Air Force has decided not to send the F-22 to participate in the 2009 Paris Air Show," according to Air Force officials.