future carrier airwings

[Dupe]

There's a method out there that uses narrow band waves (read: cell phones) to track stealth aircraft. The idea is that a tracking network traces a "hole" in the reception signal rather than a "return."

 

[NavyLonghorn]

Should we really be talking about seeing stealth on a Radar screen? Or how to track them? Seems like the kinda thing Im not supposed to know.

 

[Attilla]

I do recognize the strengths of the f-117, there is no doubt it isvery good at its role in the inventory. I just wanted remind people that stealth is not perfect and these new weapons systems have limitations just like everything else.

I was under the impression that the Raptor was purely for air superiority like the f-15c and the JSF was the multirole replacement for everything else.

 

[Dupe]

The F-22 started as strictly an air-to-air bird. The bosses are now calling it the F/A-22, and are testing it with the JDAM and other ground munitions. JSF is more the "cost-effective back up" for the Air Force. Its was the same story with the F-15 and F-16 development.

 

[kevin]

"cost-effective back up"- ya, which means "leftovers".

navylonghorn- see you werent supposed to read this stuff...now im gonna have to kill you. no hard feelings.

 

[kevin]

better idea....."buy" (or steal) the su35 design from the russkies, tweak it, rename it the f35 and put it in production for the navy....it's about time we got something kickass and made the air force look bad.

 

[spsiratt]

I'll second that idea. The new Flanker is smokin'. I think we can afford to buy it though. The Russkies are still so hard up for cash that we could probably get one for around the same price as a shiny new Daewoo.

 

[wink]

Get something that makes the Air Farce look bad? A typical naval aviator sitting in a rusted '64 Ford pick up truck makes the Air Farce look bad.

 

[spsiratt]

Damn wink, you're relentless. With guys like you around, I'm even more glad I'm getting out of the AF.

 

[kevin]

no kidding! give wink an inch, and he'll put 4 shots right through it! i have to apologize for writing "it's about time we got something kickass and made the air force look bad" referring to the navy as we, because im not in the navy yet. just wanted to correct that. but really, why not buy that plane (su37 or 35). i know, i know...it'd be like making all the police cruisers mitsubishi instead of ford, but come on!!! that plane kicks ass!! it accomplishes everything the navy needs in it's new plane and more. plus, as spsiratt perceptively pointed out, the russkies are starving to death and would sell it for a small amount of yen. so lockheed, here's a personal message to you to share with your congressional bedbuddies...."LET GO OF YOUR EGOS! KELLY JOHNSON IS RETIRED! SUCK IT UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING!" which brings to mind a point. are we the only country left (besides soviet union/russia) who hasnt purchased any military piece of equipment that didnt come from us soil? if this is true, why the hell did we ever start buying cars from foreign soil? just a thought.

 

[DBLang]

I can understand why the air force isn't buying 700 F-22s. Where is the threat? No one is buying the Su-35s, and a single two flight of F-22s will probably be able to tangle with quite a few Su-27s, eurofighters, grippens, etc. Not to mention, we aren't exactly on the verge of war with the countries that is buying those fighters.

And if you also have several thousand Joint Strike Fighters...

Lis4Lady, the F-35 is the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) everyone is talking about. We all love speculating as to if it will actually make it through development and what its true performance will be.

 

[kevin]

well first of all, read the old thread about foreign aircraft, particularly about the going to war reference. f22's could probably handle them at long range....in close, well im not a pilot but using logic from all that ive read, i would bet my minimal lifesavings on not a chance in hell. the af is about down to a purchase of 200 f22's now...that number will probably go down again and possibly to 0 since production problems (not to mention cost) are still issues. bush admin hates the jsf, congress like it. mmmm, politics. once again, how could you not want a fighter jet designed by guys who wear big fur hats?

 

[spsiratt]

I'm not sure how many F-22s the AF is gonna buy, but I can promise you it won't go down to 0. The AF loves the plane and will stick with it. It's already decided where they'll be stationed.

 

[wink]

F-22 is good at what it does. Question is, do we need a plane good at what it does? The AF may stick with it but at a potentially high cost. The pot of money is only so big. It is just like the AF to put priority on a fighter when there are other critical programs to fund that just aren't as sexy as a pointy nose jet. With regard to any Russian aircraft being suitable for the Navy, they just aren't. The Russians may have a convential carrier on the ships register, but they have never operatated it in more than a limited or experiental basis. Even though they advertise CV capable aircraft and have demonstrated them. It is very questionable that they would be up to 15+ years of no kidding deployed CV ops. The operational experience with their aircraft and manufacturers just isn't worth the gamble. First hand experience will convince you that the good 'ol USofA is absolutely unmatched in CV operations. The Brits may have invented the Carrier, but the US has been top dog in CVs since WWII. No one comes close. Not the Brits, Arggies, Italians, Brazilians, not even the French. Hard for it is for some to stomach, the French come closest in a distant second place. The Russians aren't even in the same league. Want to help the Russians, have the USAF buy the the SU-35s. They have no pride!

 

[kimphil]

Originally posted by kevin
are we the only country left (besides soviet union/russia) who hasnt purchased any military piece of equipment that didnt come from us soil? if this is true, why the hell did we ever start buying cars from foreign soil? just a thought.

The Harrier is a British plane. Granted, we manufacture them in the US but they invented it. I think the tech for the lift fan to be used in the F-35 is from the Yak and is licensed from the Russians.