F-35B arrives at Pax

[Uncle Fester]

F-35 Joint Training Wing at Eglin

The Powers That Be broke ground yesterday at Eglin for the F-35 facilities. Expected to be "fully operational" in 2016.

Of note, I didn't realize that the F-35 guys were displacing the F-15 guys. Also that the asshats in Valparaiso still apparently haven't heard that saying about the hand that feeds you and what not to do to it.

(The mayor has been pitching a public snit about the anticipated noise levels of the F-35 and what it'll do to property values in Val-P...bearing in mind that damn near everyone who lives there is in the Air Force or sells things to people who are)

 

[Mumbles]

Who is the USN Rep at the groundbreaking??

 

[usmarinemike]

(The mayor has been pitching a public snit about the anticipated noise levels of the F-35 and what it'll do to property values in Val-P...bearing in mind that damn near everyone who lives there is in the Air Force or sells things to people who are)

It is quite satisfying to see the backlash to the mayor on the news though. There are city meetings with way more F-35 supporters than not. The Valparaiso guy is just using N. Korea's playbook. You don't have anything to offer to the world so nobody pays attention to you. Therefore cause a big problem so that they have to pay attention to you.

 

[C420sailor]

I was under the impression that they were going to expand one of the Aux fields in the restricted area for the F-35, and not VPS? Guess not?

 

[FlyinSpy]

Who is the USN Rep at the groundbreaking??

RADM Philman, N88.

http://www.eglin.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123140808

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=331

 

[Fog]

This means, I assume from reading the PN-J article, that the F-35C RAG will be at Eglin? Does that make sense?

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

This means, I assume from reading the PN-J article, that the F-35C RAG will be at Eglin? Does that make sense?

That would be pretty awesome. Eglin is in a great area.

 

[Flash]

Since when was the Army getting the F-35? I am presuming the token Army guy is an engineer.

 

[H20man]

This means, I assume from reading the PN-J article, that the F-35C RAG will be at Eglin? Does that make sense?

I attended the sim and brief they had at the O'Club a couple weeks back. The plan is to initially have all training occur at Eglin, and over time move the squadrons to where the Navy and Marines normally train.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I attended the sim and brief they had at the O'Club a couple weeks back. The plan is to initially have all training occur at Eglin, and over time move the squadrons to where the Navy and Marines normally train.

That's about what I heard, too, but I don't see how that makes sense. Unless the plan is to train the cadre for the RAG's at Eglin, and then have them stand up the RAG's and begin training the CAT I's.

Guess I just don't see why we're doing this differently than introducing any other new a/c. Other than the basic systems stuff, the training for the different services is going to be so different there doesn't seem to be much advantage to keeping things "Joint".

 

[scoolbubba]

Fester, you're forgetting the first rule about jointness in the DOD. Joint means doing things the way the Air Force says!

 

[Fog]

Fester, you're forgetting the first rule about jointness in the DOD. Joint means doing things the way the Air Force says!

My sentiments exactly! Watch out, Dudes. It's more creeping jointness & an Air Force conspiracy. Putin's probably involved somewhere in here, too!

 

[Uncle Fester]

Fester, you're forgetting the first rule about jointness in the DOD. Joint means doing things the way the Air Force says!

Oh, I'm not forgetting that. Spend a tour listening to the ascot brigade wank about how some Navy reg "isn't in compliance" with AF reg whatever, you'll truly learn how to hate. (still better is when they spend an hour wanking about a DoD reg they don't like, but I digress...)

My pet theory is that the AF's Sinister Plan is to keep Eglin as F-35 Central, thus making themselves de facto commissars of the program. I'm curious to see how that'll work out someday in the hoary future when the Navy wants to designate an F-35 RAG as the model manager, and the AF brings out the Inquisition.

 

[usmarinemike]

My pet theory is that the AF's Sinister Plan is to keep Eglin as F-35 Central, thus making themselves de facto commissars of the program. I'm curious to see how that'll work out someday in the hoary future when the Navy wants to designate an F-35 RAG as the model manager, and the AF brings out the Inquisition.

Here's hoping they want to get rid of the ugly stepson B model so the Marine Corps can takes its toys wherever it wants and train its pilots however it wants.

 

[HeyJoe]

Here's hoping they want to get rid of the ugly stepson B model so the Marine Corps can takes its toys wherever it wants and train its pilots however it wants.

If the Marines didn't want the B variant, there would be no F-35s , period (IMHO). Everyone in US has other options as do most of international partners except Italy and UK.