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2008-05-03 Home Front: WoT

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Posted by Steve White 2008-05-03 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 Complicated issues here: the F-22 lobby suspects that the JSF procurement will get stretched out (i think so to FWIW) so there is a legit need for an interim aircraft, especially since teh F-15 is encountering fatigue problems.
The JSF group would like to see the Raptor's budget zero'ed out so there can be more $$ put into JSF development and initial low rate procurement.

The C-17 is a solid aircraft and the C-5 and 141's are nearing the end of their original life, the ME has accelerated their usage and fatigue. But trucks aren't sexy like sports cars, so there is no real lobby for the Globemaster III.
The foreign sales of the C-17 haven't materialized, although we are leasing some to UK and the Aussies have bought 4 (i think). The JSF alternate engine program is, or was viable up until the P & W either proves itself or goes south and right now all indications are positive. when the P & W gets all signed off, then pulling the plug on the GE makes sense, but for now i think the GE should stay in play.
Notice how there is no mention of any UAV assets?

Posted by USN,Ret. 2008-05-03 01:07|| 2008-05-03 01:07|| Front Page Top

#2 I got a better idea: Let's dismantle the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

And the National Endowment for the Arts.

Even if it won't buy one more fighter, it's better than watching leftists cut national defense during a war.

Posted by badanov 2008-05-03 04:42|| http://www.freefirezone.org]">[http://www.freefirezone.org] 2008-05-03 04:42|| Front Page Top

#3 Finish the JSF. Here in Canada, our F-18's are old enough to fall apart in the hanger. Once the JSF production line is humming, you can afford all of the 22s, C-17s, C-5s, et al, you want. I suspect we'd like some 22s for northern CAP, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards.

If some idiots on Capital Hill want to get in the way, well, there's an election in a few months...

Posted by Vanc 2008-05-03 05:05|| 2008-05-03 05:05|| Front Page Top

#4 No problem. There's plenty of airlift to go around and a huge shortage of air superiorty aircraft. Roumor flows that the Taliban have stolen the blueprints for the S.p.A.D.

Posted by George Smiley 2008-05-03 07:06|| 2008-05-03 07:06|| Front Page Top

#5 Another reason against C-17s is that there is major redesign in progress to develop drone cargo aircraft, which will be as different from C-17s as Predators are from A-10 Warthogs.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-05-03 09:31|| 2008-05-03 09:31|| Front Page Top

#6 I for one would like to see refitted Phantom F-4's and that tres cool bomb delivery machine - a (refitted) B-58 Hustler!

Posted by borgboy 2008-05-03 13:21|| 2008-05-03 13:21|| Front Page Top

#7 Do we really need the C-17 when you can just bungee cargo on the back of a (multi-multi-role) Hornet? The F/A-18F Super Hornet variant even has an extra guy to keep an eye on the load.

For really heavy stuff, two Hornets could carry it slung between them, much the same way that a pair of African swallows carry a coconut.

Posted by SteveS 2008-05-03 14:23|| 2008-05-03 14:23|| Front Page Top

#8 Excuse me but can you tell me why in the hell develop a drone cargo aircrft? Crew and the space needed for it is a tiny fraction of overall weight and you are not goinfd to make high G turns on a cargo plane.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2008-05-03 14:33|| 2008-05-03 14:33|| Front Page Top

#9 (1) Air drops into hostile zones without risking a pilot

(2) Humanitarian aid drops into rough / inaccessible country without the need for a trained pilot

Posted by lotp 2008-05-03 14:49|| 2008-05-03 14:49|| Front Page Top

#10 Do we really need the C-17 when you can just bungee cargo on the back of a (multi-multi-role) Hornet? The F/A-18F Super Hornet variant even has an extra guy to keep an eye on the load.

For really heavy stuff, two Hornets could carry it slung between them, much the same way that a pair of African swallows carry a coconut.

the Genius of out-of-the-box thinking from the Army Of Steves ;-)

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-05-03 15:08|| 2008-05-03 15:08|| Front Page Top

#11 How does the saying goes "Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics"?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-05-03 15:20|| 2008-05-03 15:20|| Front Page Top

#12 How does the saying goes "Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics"?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-05-03 15:20|| 2008-05-03 15:20|| Front Page Top

#13 Ooops!

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-05-03 15:21|| 2008-05-03 15:21|| Front Page Top

#14 JFM: One of the big frustrations about cargo air traffic is that most of what pilots do is about as difficult as long haul trucking. Boring beyond boring. Even takeoff and landing should be as rote as possible. So why not automate it? That has been a dream for decades.

If the cargo is special, or the trip is unique or challenging, a piloted aircraft is still good, but the vast majority don't need them.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-05-03 16:26|| 2008-05-03 16:26|| Front Page Top

#15 Let's go with the F-22. There. All settled :-)

Posted by Iblis 2008-05-03 17:06|| 2008-05-03 17:06|| Front Page Top

#16 (2) Humanitarian aid drops into rough / inaccessible country without the need for a trained pilot

You will need a trained operator and I fear it is at least as hard to train as a pilot. Only advantage is that you can recruit people with heart conditions. Cargo pilots don't have the same fitness requirements than fighter pilots but there are some NO, NOs who don't apply for drone operators

Posted by JFM">JFM 2008-05-03 17:58|| 2008-05-03 17:58|| Front Page Top

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