Nothing 'off-base' in comments on widely-known F-22 problems

Editor:

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The Aug. 17 letter by Jim Ball, "Columnist is 'off-base' in comments on Air Force F-22 fighter jet," referencing Tom Crawford's Aug. 12 commentary, is at best puzzling and at worst disingenuous.

The F-22's maintenance problems are well-known both inside and outside of Air Force circles. Google "F-22 Maintenance Problems" and that particular search engine alone will generate more than 50 pages (with 10 or more hyperlinks per page) to online articles documenting that very problem.

Alternatively, one can visit any one of the major book store chains in the area and check out Air Combat magazine. It recently ran an article entitled "America's F-15: An Endangered Bird" where it referenced the maintenance nightmare that is the F-22 while also documenting the F-15s unacceptable mission-capable rates due to old age and breakdowns. The source cited for the article was the United States Air Force itself.

Ongoing F-22 maintenance problems are not a new phenomena, nor do they constitute "classified information" if one can get it for free all day long. What, exactly, are they doing at Pacific Air Forces Command with all this "classified information" that has been in public domain for months?

There was nothing "off base" at all in Tom Crawford's Aug. 12 column; he should actually be applauded.

Keith Petty

Evans