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F-35B/C Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter)
- Thread starter jai5w4
- Start date
The demonstrators were exactly that and production versions have mission systems installed so although it looks similiar externally, it is a slightly different scale altogether and doesn't have any of the mission systems inside so continually to fly it wouldn't be of any benefit. Think of it like a protoype/show car, the production versions are a whole different beast internally. Once the decision was mad eon a winner of the competition, it was more important to definitize the final production design and get with it.
flysupertomcat
Jim told me I can buy Gaydar online
I believe the Navy version is going to have typical Navy landing gear: two wheels on the nose gear, beefier gear all around, and a launch bar.
Under General McPeak, they also offered up the CAS mission under his initiative to revisit the service traditional Roles and Missions. He wanted to "own" space and the Army was interested in taking on A-10s to operate alogside the Apaches. Meanwhile, the Air Force looked at giving up the A-10 and developing a specialized A-16 with a 30mm cannon to replace it.
The A-16
Flathatter13
Banned
Under General McPeak, they also offered up the CAS mission under his initiative to revisit the service traditional Roles and Missions. He wanted to "own" space and the Army was interested in taking on A-10s to operate alogside the Apaches. Meanwhile, the Air Force looked at giving up the A-10 and developing a specialized A-16 with a 30mm cannon to replace it.
The A-16
The F16 has never been "great or even good" at true CAS, and I can only imagine with the 30mm installed in the wingroot position how exciting that must have been for the pilot if he looked right during firing, let alone the vibration to the plane. I can't imagine that the F16 would have had much room left for fuel after installing a gun that large into it. Compared to the standard 20mm that 30 is a beast of a gun.
On further research, they tried podded and internally mounting the 30mm....neither worked well
My old man was in Gulf 1 with the Syracuse ANG unit that was the "test unit" for the A-16 and that 30mm gun pod. It didn't work; They couldn't acquire targets effectively at such a fast speed, they couldn't slow down because they had no armor, and the 30mm gun pod shook tremendously and was fairly inaccurate. After the first day they unbolted the gun pods and used the standard 20mm gun.
I like the A-10, but there are a lot of guys in the AF who have some power who would like to see it go the way of the Dodo bird.
Heard the same things about the Boys from Syracuse, Gulf 1.
And the A-10??? It's always had a struggle for acceptance in the Air Force. In point of fact, it seems you have to look very hard to find the "Spirit of Attack" in any form in today's Air Force ... I don't really know why, either ....
Flathatter13
Banned
Heard the same things about the Boys from Syracuse, Gulf 1.
And the A-10??? It's always had a struggle for acceptance in the Air Force. In point of fact, it seems you have to look very hard to find the "Spirit of Attack" in any form in today's Air Force ... I don't really know why, either ....
Don't throw us all in that generalization A4's, alot of the "E" drivers are good guys and we press our attacks like no one else. Some of us even take pride in getting busted for breaking "training" guidelines.
That being said the overall state of the AF is very disappointing an has taken a very standoffish attitude towards putting iron to target.
As you are so fond of saying "I weap for the future of my service"
I hate to threadjack, but you aren't the only AF guy I have heard say such things. Generally (just from whom I have met, which isn't a whole lot) the air to ground community in the AF is much more "down to earth" so to speak, and the air guys are still living the WW2/Korea/Vietnam furballs. It's important to own the airspace (which the F-35 will help to do) but what good will that do you when you don't have airplanes that can put iron on the target with a near perfect success rate?
From what I get the AF is torn between what it needs as a primary mission. Is it to own the airspace or is it to support the guys on the ground and drop bombs? I think the guys in charge are stuck on the first part and are forgetting the second part. The F-22/F-35 mix is great, but they aren't going to replace the AC-130, A-10 or the BUFF. Some say the Reaper is the answer to those. Maybe it is. I don't see an operator having the SA for a true CAS or CSAR mission.
Yes, we do have money for a new big bomber, but it's easy to cut a program that hasn't produced an airplane yet for more F-22's. After all, how many airmen are losing their jobs to force shaping? (sounds like Military Lay-offs to me)
"We"? Are you now a member of the boys in blue?
Flathatter13
Banned
I converted him after he heard that an AF deployment involves doing the wife before you leave and getting there when the Air Conditioning is put in and up and at least 9 holes are ready.
WishICouldFly
UO Future Pork Chop
They literally built the A-10 AROUND the GAU-8, from my understanding. Just snapping on a 30 mm cannon to a Viper doesn't seem like nearly as good of a Close Support platform.
And then taking what Flathat said about the F-16 not being a good Close Support aircraft to begin with...seriously, what's wrong with keeping the A-10?
Or maybe, for CAS, we should go back to dropping hand grenades from biplanes.
And then taking what Flathat said about the F-16 not being a good Close Support aircraft to begin with...seriously, what's wrong with keeping the A-10?
Or maybe, for CAS, we should go back to dropping hand grenades from biplanes.
That thing ^ is just Fat, no way to be nice about it.
I dunno, that intake is kinda apealing...