The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter stand at the pinnacle of fighter aircraft technology, integrating low observability, fused sensor interfaces, cutting-edge networking and world-class avionics. There is something new under the sun, and it is being flown by the U.S. Air Force. But even as the U.S. is poised at the brink of seemingly interminable air superiority, the industrial base supporting its air power is surprisingly fragile.

http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2008/07/3569594

Mr. Griffin makes an interesting point.

Indeed the US Aircraft Industry is in danger of falling apart for lack of orders.

Of course, there is always the possibility that it is in danger of falling apart for the same reason why the Ford Motor Company is in danger of falling apart - too much concentration on a product that looks really spiffy, costs too much to run, has a crappy reliability record, and doesn't suit the needs of potential buyers.

The performance characteristics of "fifth generation" fighters are, indeed, most impressive compared to those of the "fourth generation" fighters - but, then again, the performance characteristics of the Me-262 were most impressive compared to those of the P-51D and the P-51D was quite successful in shooting down Me-262s. (Apparently more so than the Me-262 was in shooting down P-51Ds.)

One of the reasons for this "success rate reversal" was the fact that there were one heck of a lot more P-51Ds than there were Me-262s.

If a top-notch "fourth generation fighter" costs 1/10th what a "fifth generation fighter" costs and both "Country A" and "Country B" spend the same amount on purchasing fighters, with "Country A" purchasing "fourth generation fighters" and "Country B" purchasing "fifth generation fighters", then "Country A" is likely to end up with total air superiority - even if "Country B" shoots down 9 of "Country A"s fighters for every fighter that "Country B" loses.

By analogy, the American Aircraft Industry is suggesting that everyone should drive nothing but Vipers and Corvettes - even if what is needed is a VW "Microbus" to haul the kids off to baseball practise.

Admittedly you are still going to sell a few Vipers and Corvettes, but you are going to sell one hell of a lot more "Microbuses" and the company that makes the "Microbus" is going to be financially healthy one hell of a lot longer than the ones making the Vipers and Corvettes.