True enough, but while the F-22 sensor suite is impressive it still can't compare to an AWACS and the full package of support. And of course, if the F-22 is too expensive there won't be many "less capable aircraft" for it to share sensor data with. The Air Force may be digging itself into the kind of hole the Navy seems to be in: On one hand, a "hi-lo" mix would be nice. But the "hi" end is costing so much there probably won't be a "lo". Just as the Navy's ship numbers are plunging, the Air Forces aircraft numbers will probably plunge, and the question then becomes whether a small number of super-capable/expensive units can replace a larger number of more inexpensive ones. Quality is nice, but numbers aren't irrelevant. And it's not just sensors. Munitions aren't cheap, and if we have to skimp on guided missile inventory to buy airframes we could find ourselves in a real pickle. It appears they've put AFI 65-503 behind a password, but IIRC the AMRAAM was running over 1/2 million a pop. Lord knows the Air Force won't give up any golf courses to pay for anything... ;-)