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| Science & Technology |
| Smarts on Target |
| 2007-07-02 |
| Why is the U.S. Navy buying only enough special bomb racks (130) to equip four percent of its F-18 fighters? The problem here is that the JDAM is so efficient that most F-18s are lucky to drop one of them per sortie. The smart bombs have eliminated speed as a problem, and made that larger bomb carrying capacity a virtue. The targeting pods enable the pilots to make out armored vehicles from 20,000 feet up, and twenty kilometers away. The fighter pilots keep quiet about it, but they are eager to strut their new stuff against a large enemy armor force. In theory, a force of fifty fighters (F-16s, F-15s, F-18s, F-35s, even F-22s) could destroy an enemy tank division in a few hours. The potential enemies, particularly the Chinese, are alarmed at this prospect, and are desperately seeking a solution. So far, they haven't found one. Not yet. |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #2 But you won't. Otherwise posters will have to point out the Falcon's range beats the Navy's beloved Hornet (about as far as the catapult can throw it). |
| Posted by: ed 2007-07-02 16:56 |
| #1 Right about now I could make a snarky comment about how the other wing stations are needed to hold fuel tanks to compensate for the Lawn Dart's short legs, but I won't. Oops, too late. Sorry. |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2007-07-02 13:43 |