Despite comments from top Pentagon officials that the F-22 and F-35 are comparable—and perhaps interchangeable—they are not, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley told defense reporters Thursday in Washington. The best analogy, he said, is to think of the F-22 and F-35 as being akin to the F-15 and F-16, which pioneered the high/low mix 25 years ago. “I believe the two airplanes are complementary. I believe the two airplanes are required,” Moseley asserted. “One is designed for a specific task, the other is designed for a more general task, but together they provide the capability needed for the theater commander.” Both are fifth-generation aircraft—meaning they are stealthy and have advanced electronics—but the high-end F-22’s extreme performance is necessary to clear the skies of enemy fighters, while the F-35 is needed to provide wide coverage of targets in a less costly platform. “Fifth generation capability is the way to survive the new integrated air defense systems,” Moseley said. Stealth, he said, “is very important.”
The Pentagon agency charged with building and operating U.S. spy satellites recently declassified some details about a Cold War-era surveillance program called Jumpseat—a revelation it says sheds light on the importance of satellite imaging technology and how it has advanced in the decades since.
