Posted 07.05.2007 at 1:30 pm
6 Comments
OK, so even though there's still some secrecy surrounding the F-22 Raptor, it's safe to say that contrary to what we see in the new movie Transformers, it can't turn into a giant anthropomorphic robot capable of swinging between city buildings like a monkey, then switching back in mid-air into an advanced fighter jet. For the estimated $300 million-plus the U.S. Air Force is paying for the first round of Raptors, though, we sort of think it should. Clearly the moviemakers think highly of the Raptor: According to the Transformers Web site, the alien robot Starscream chooses to resemble the F-22 because it's the “pinnacle of human technical achievement.” And, you know, morphing into an iPhone wouldn’t really be all that intimidating.—Gregory Mone
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I don't know if it is the “pinnacle of human technical achievement.” but I sure wouldn't want one coming after me. But I really hoped for $300 million a piece it could at least turn invisible.
I think its 300 million for the first batch rather than for each one (!!), I think that they are something along the lines of 3 times the price of a current F-15 Eagle.
Pinnacle of human technical achievment? Great, a giant weapon...
Good choice for a huge battle robot i suppose.
Did you forgot what is the cost of a single B2 bomber ??
Actually you would need seven Raptor to pay one B2…
You want something High-tech ?
There is a price for it.
It's a bit more sophisticated than your everyday's car.
Wonderful. #00 million dollars for outdated technology. Hate to wake up the great lumbering giant that is the U.S. military, but there appears to be transmission from planet reality: We don't need firepower like this any more. They started drawing up the plans for these in the middle of the 80s. It's a little overkill to send a Raptor against a terrorist hideout, shoot a three-million dollar missile at it, then it turns out that you blew up an orphanage instead. Whups. What we need are fleets of drones, eqquiped with Hellfires. No people, no screw-ups, no weeping wives, and LESS Cindy Sheehans. Who's with me?
As long as the bad guys can't shoot it down and we don't turn dhimmi, the Raptor's a good investment...
why is the war on terror warping peoples minds. the raptor isn't deigned for terror, no plane is. its designed to defend and attack other countries.
Terrorist can only do superfical damage. A hostile nation could level an entire country at the push of the button. think big picturee big threat, no little picture little threat