MarkW

So yeah, it was that sort of "last war" thinking that got us into this mess. The Marines viewed airpower as mobile artillery support for the grunts for the longest time. They weren't thinking about B-1 and B-52 CAS because they don't got no B-1s or B-52s. The Marines still want/need a totally self sufficient force, so they will want/need the old fashioned CAS solution. The "wasted money" behind that thinking is ginormous compared to the silly test.

Ah, there you go, bringing practical experience in against long held and loved beliefs. The real issue isn't who can do CAS, hell, any platform that can carry a weapon can. Throw in the whole strategic fleet--B-2s and Buffs as well. It's really about contested CAS. When those fleets of Soviets ZSU-23s are lining up on you, a F-35 is the last place to be. ONLY the A-10 could possible survive, because CAS HAS to be done ONLY with a centerline mounted cannon, iron sights, and a steely eyed pilot. I mean you could lase the target, or give precise GPS coordinates to an

Apparently F-35s work too, despite all the armchairing here. We always had a bet on who'd be first, my money was always on Israel. https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2018/05/22/the-f-35-just-made-its-combat-debut/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking news-5-22&utm_term=Editorial - Breaking News I'd love to know exactly what ordnance they used.

Shock of shocks--the services are insular and don't talk to each other, even on a JOINT program. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/04/27/the-corps-struggles-to-maintain-the-f-35-overseas-as-after-action-reports-enter-an-echo-chamber/?utm_source=clavis And ALIS, Deployable ALIS (Deplorable?) ALIS, whatever flavor you want, is still broken.

Merkel will buy F-35s over Trump's dead body. You don't tick her off and expect her to buy your jet. And of course the whole Airbus thing.

Yeah, so… Not too many enlisted crewmen flying in the singleseat fighter community... Doesn't change the fact that this program is literally the hardest thing ever done in military acquisition, and there are plenty of areas where mistakes can be and have been made.

And now this: https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2018/04/11/defense-department-halts-f-35-deliveries-amid-repair-bill-disagreement-with-lockheed/

And oh by the way...the main problems with ALIS are NOT due to a lack of "zipper suits". Zippers suits would be pilots, not wrench turners... The real issue is they had a great idea, but nobody has implemented anything like this before. The ALIS development would have been an ACAT 1D all by itself, a MAIS. When the program ran into issues with the whole flying and blowing up crap part of the program, ALIS development suffered. I guess they figured a plane that could fight and fly some of the time was better than a fully developed logistics system for a static display.

I, for one, wholeheartedly supported Harper and the Canadian Afghanistan deployment. They bought Tim Horton's, after all. Almost as important as the Dutch, who brought Cuban cigars.

Doing a quick read on the Cyclone, which is just a stupid helo, and all its development issues, ain't nobody got nothing to say about the F-35.

I'm just gonna throw this out here, and I maybe spit balling, but when you draw an absolute line in the sand that cannot be crossed, and then arbitrarily move it for political convenience does not somehow call your credibility into question? Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing politicians of redefining military requirements based upon which way the wind is blowing. We all know that doesn't happen.

Negative, Ghostrider. The Bay is full.

Pappy, gotcha, the little piston thingy. I thought you meant the overall profile shape, which hasn't changed. But that actuator has gone from down to up.

Pappy, Where are you seeing the new profile? It's always had a trapezoidal/parallelogram shape.

EADS/Airbus isn't as ham fisted a Boeing. When they compete here, they also build a plant here. They "create" jobs, or at least offset the jobs lost if a Boeing or Lockheed was to lose jobs. Look at the Tanker deal back in the early 2000s...won of the 14 time Boeing or Airbus won it, Airbus was going to build a plant here to produce the tankers. The difference between the US and other players is simple: Other player give away the store to sell their jets. Look at what Saab or the French are doing to sell the Gripen and Rafale. In our case, in the limited cases we buy foreign,

Yeah, the canucks on the program were always cool. But that is indeed the "Eff You Boeing" clause I referenced.

What about the just announced competition in 2019 for 88 jets? With the "Eff You, Boeing" clause?

This is just ugly, ugly jealousy. Canada may be the only NATO ally without a viable Air Force, but they are going to look damn good doing it.

Turkey, Turkey, Turkey...whatcha doin' man?! https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dubai-air-show/2017/11/16/us-official-if-turkey-buys-russian-systems-they-cant-plug-into-nato-tech/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB 11.17.17&utm_term=Editorial - Early Bird Brief Who would love the chance to run an F-35 against a S-400 more, us, or Russia?

In other news, UAE is being reported as a possible export customer...if Israel allows.

Did Typhoons magically develop air to ground capability? Let alone contested A2G?

I thought Halloween was over. How long are they (Boeing) going to keep that undead manufacturing line open?!

No way on this Green Earth India will EVER see the F-35. The export controls would kill the deal with extreme prejudice. But we'll have talks, if for no other reason than to piss off the Russians.

That's the oscillation overthruster, from Yoyodyne. Part of the Block IV upgrade.