Airplane peeps.... - F-35 Lightning II

[Y_lifter]

"Lightning" to strike again with JSF

Lightning II will be the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's official nickname -
a decision the Air Force chief of staff is to announce today during an "inauguration" ceremony
for the F-35. at Lockheed Martin Corp.'s plant in Fort Worth.

Air Force chief Gen. T. Michael "Buzz" Moseley liked the name because the original P-38 Lightning
was one of the most famous fighter planes in World War II.
And the P-38 was built by Lockheed.


Dallas Morning News www.dallasnews.com

 

[jnuts]

I'm a heretic.

The JSF should get cancelled. We can't afford it.

Build more F-15Es

 

[redguru]

I'm a heretic.

The JSF should get cancelled. We can't afford it.

Build more F-15Es

I tend to agree here, no one has the wherewithall or the determination to build a new generation fighter. The F-15 airframe is quite capable, just update the avionics from time to time. The Navy still needs an Air Superiority fighter, however. The Tomcat is now in retirement and the Hornet simply is not capable enough.

 

[jnuts]

The Tomcat is now in retirement and the Hornet simply is not capable enough.

It's the age old debate and it's a tough nut to crack. Do you build for a Fulda Gap / China / North Korea scenario ... or a small war / insurgency scenario.

Mass quantities of airframes vs. smaller but more capable amounts. We are really cutting our airframes #s to the bone.

 

[Y_lifter]

The answer to the debate is much like anything else, roads, schools, I.T. etc.

Do you build for the present need, near term expected future or can you somehow devine the far future with your Federal Crystal ball ?

 

[Y_lifter]

Also, IMO a better comparison for discussion on this issue would be

F15E vs F22

F16/FA18 vs JSF

 

[jnuts]

True, but the F-22 is bleeding us dry. Plus, even though congress doesn't think so, this AF needs a tanker replacement YESTERDAY.

We can't do shit without gas. Neither can the Navy. I had to fight tooth and nail to swing a few extra tankers from Iraq to Afghanistan to do some stuff. Lot's of moving parts in an air campaign and tankers are smack dab in the middle. It's a lot easier/more effecient keeping a jet airborne with more refueling than it is cycling it off the ground.

Interesting tidbit. I got to fly out to the USS Ronald Reagan when they were doing some carrier quals for dudes. I was a guest of the Admiral so I got the grand tour. They were using the new F-18 models as tankers for other aircraft. The growler dudes weren't happy 'bout that.

 

[redguru]

True, but the F-22 is bleeding us dry. Plus, even though congress doesn't think so, this AF needs a tanker replacement YESTERDAY.

We can't do shit without gas. Neither can the Navy. I had to fight tooth and nail to swing a few extra tankers from Iraq to Afghanistan to do some stuff. Lot's of moving parts in an air campaign and tankers are smack dab in the middle. It's a lot easier/more effecient keeping a jet airborne with more refueling than it is cycling it off the ground.

Interesting tidbit. I got to fly out to the USS Ronald Reagan when they were doing some carrier quals for dudes. I was a guest of the Admiral so I got the grand tour. They were using the new F-18 models as tankers for other aircraft. The growler dudes weren't happy 'bout that.

The prowler is a seriously outdated, outmoded airframe. Is the AF still using the KC-135?

 

[jnuts]

Also, IMO a better comparison for discussion on this issue would be

F15E vs F22

F16/FA18 vs JSF

F-15C vs F-22 is a better comparison.

2xJDAM out of a F-22 isn't a whole lot of good. Make no mistake - the F-22 is primarily a replacement for the light gray F-15. The F-15E is a bomb dump truck that can have a variety of loads - most importantly it can carry a lightning pod which is huge these days. Plus, she' wing to air to air in a pinch.

To be honest, I've never been a fan of the F-18. They are gas hogs and their endurance just plane sucks. The latest variant is better but not by much. I come at it from a campaign planner stand point.

 

[jnuts]

The prowler is a seriously outdated, outmoded airframe. Is the AF still using the KC-135?

Yeah, 135 and KC-10

Prowlers are getting HUGE use right now if Aghan and Iraq. EA assets are in high demand. Do some google - you can probably read between the lines on what they are being used for.

 

[redguru]

Yeah, 135 and KC-10

Prowlers are getting HUGE use right now if Aghan and Iraq. EA assets are in high demand. Do some google - you can probably read between the lines on what they are being used for.

The EA-6B and tanker duty were the only good uses for the A-6 post-Vietnam.
Never thought the Navy needed a heavy-lift bomber, especially with the range of the 111's and B52's.

I didn't think the Afghan campaign was still having a problem with SAMs?

 

[Y_lifter]

100% agree on the tanker need. You can't upgrade thirst..

I'm hearing loadmaster types are pleased with the new lift capabilities
of the C 17 III and C130J .. you?

 

[jnuts]

I didn't think the Afghan campaign was still having a problem with SAMs?

Prowlers aren't doing anything with SAMs.

 

[redguru]

Prowlers aren't doing anything with SAMs.

Comms jamming or ELINT then? I'll research it.

 

[jnuts]

100% agree on the tanker need. You can't upgrade thirst..

I'm hearing loadmaster types are pleased with the new lift capabilities
of the C 17 III and C130J .. you?

I flew from Qatar to Afghanistan quite a few times in the back of C-17s and C130s.... guess which one I liked? C-17 is a very nice and capable jet. Much better way to fly around the AOR. Like anything, it's a tough balance if we have enough. The army would love it if we bought more of them. The J models were on the ramp there and they've been well recieved.

 

[redguru]

Here's a decent photo.

 

[jnuts]

Comms jamming or ELINT then? I'll research it.

One of those things I'm not talking about, open source or not. I believe there has been some open source reporting on what they are doing.

 

[Y_lifter]

Good funny MIL stuff here.

http://www.biscuitsbrown.com/forces_dictionary/dictionary.php

 

[redguru]

I found it, it was what I figured when you said it wasn't a SAM threat. Not all EA-6B's are equipped to jam that sort of thing.

 

[redguru]

I guess the main point is, is it more cost-effective to continue repairing and maintaining parts inventories for obsolescent aircraft, or research and develop newer tooling and processes for new equipment.

 

[Y_lifter]

Social Handgrenade
Person who upon consumption of alcohol obliviously offends every person within earshot/grabbing distance


Captain Casio
The mystical being who takes over sentry duty for you, enabling you to have a sleep instead. He also obligingly wakes you up at the end of your duty too!