Tactical Aircraft: F-22 Delays Indicate Initial Production Rates Should Be Lower to Reduce Risks.

摘要

The Air Force is developing the F-22 aircraft to replace its fleet of F-15 aircraft. On September 13, 2001, the secretary of defense notified the congressional defense committees that the Department of Defense (DOD) had approved the F-22 program for low-rate initial production and that the cost to complete the program's development phase would be $557 million more than the cost limit. This increased the cost estimate for development to $21 billion. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 has since eliminated the cost limitation but still requires us to provide annual assessments. This report addresses (1) the extent to which the development program is meeting its schedule, cost, and performance goals, including whether the program is likely to be completed within the current cost estimate; (2) the status of F-22 modifications; and (3) the Air Force's plans for low-rate initial production of F-22 aircraft and the risks associated with those plans.