Future of the f-22, Which is the most/least probable? Options

[Jet02]

1. The f-22 is pushed back into production
2. The usaf opts for 1), but due to budgetary problems, they decide to stick with a low cost, mass-producible flying brick in the likeness of an f-22 a la ROTR(inb4 rotr usaf never designed a low cost, mass-producible flying brick in the likeness of an f-22)
3. Contrary to 2), the usaf decides to deploy a legendary variant of the f-22 (imagine king raptors, but with stealth) with updated avionics, better engines, thel(?), stealth external weapon pods(?),etc. etc.
4. (Just to make this qualify as a LBin topic, donT take seriously) half life 3 is released before the end of the decade

[{Lads}RikerZZZ]

What you all seem to forget is that through the F-35's development the raptor (and generally all American/allied aircraft) have become FAR deadlier and more effective.
A very large swarth of the budget for the F-35 was invested into the IT side of things, and adding in far more interconnectivity between all us weapons.

When the raptor first rolled out of the factory it was running on less power than your average laptop today. With the huge investment and retrofit of the JSF the US has pretty much had to refit its entire modern fleet so that its other aircraft have the same interconnectivity that the F-35 has.

[__CrUsHeR]

What you all seem to forget is that through the F-35's development the raptor (and generally all American/allied aircraft) have become FAR deadlier and more effective.
A very large swarth of the budget for the F-35 was invested into the IT side of things, and adding in far more interconnectivity between all us weapons.

When the raptor first rolled out of the factory it was running on less power than your average laptop today. With the huge investment and retrofit of the JSF the US has pretty much had to refit its entire modern fleet so that its other aircraft have the same interconnectivity that the F-35 has.

Important point. To what extent was this interconnectivity important for the F-35 and the JSF from a purely technical/military point of view? Now think about IT business, it's easier to understand why the F-35 is a profitable business-to-business gamble (it integrates virtually all of the latest-generation US technologies into one machine); at the end of the day it seems that business is ahead of the quality or technical capacity of this aircraft, but that obviously will not be a failure due to the investment and investor pressure for a reasonable final product.

I think the F-35 will be more important for progress and lessons that will bring to the industrial sector than for its practical performance.