Rapier01

Correct

The Raptor is full operational as far as the aircraft is concerned. All the stuff with life-support system has more or less been taken care of about a year ago. But with the sequester, a number of units were grounded, but they're back up until the next government shut-down or other buffoonery on the Hill causes another debacle. But in any case, the USAF is looking at further training hour cuts in the '14 budget and probably the '15 budget.

You are quite correct, sir. http://news.usni.org/2013/11/05/lockheed-martin-sr-72-plane-paper

He's not being forced out. But he was cryptic on his future plans... I think the general consensus here in DC is that the Admiral got this program on the right track-at least as much on the right track as humanly possible. I know General Bogdan, he'll be a damn good program manager.

No, he is. Talked to him yesterday.

That was the idea... especially since I know exactly how that original very one sided report got out.

Well, that's why I put that DEW Line post up. I literally cut and pasted from the article I wrote months ago when this bufoonery popped up again.

You're still alive... good to see you back.

The purported German "victory" is less than it seems. I was there and I also talked to the US pilots-- they say pretty much the opposite of what Germans said. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/in-focus-german-eurofighters-impress-during-red-flag-debut-373312/

It's almost certainly the MiG-31 unless there are some MiG-25s left in service somewhere... in which case it's the MiG-25.

The terminology may be getting us screwed up here... But the F-22 is designed to display to the pilot a fused, corolated picture of what's going on 360 degrees around the jet. I've seen the sim myself and talked to dozens of Raptor pilots and program guys about this for years. That's the radar and ALR-94 plus whatever it recieves via the Link-16 and IFDL and what not... Bottomline, the jet fuses that data and displays it to the guy in the cockpit so that he can make the tactical decisions he needs to--it's actually quite similar to the F-35's displays in many respects (which I've seen the uncl

The Marines are already getting 80 F-35C models to cover their squadrons that deploy with Navy carrier air wings. The rest of the USMC fleet wil be comprised of 340 F-35Bs. The USMC originally just wanted 420 F-35Bs to replace the F/A-18 and AV-8B, but the Navy didn't want the B-models on the carriers because it would screw up the launch and recovery cycle. So the USMC is basically being forced to buy 80 C-models. Mark, as you may or may not be aware, Elmendorf has already got a bunch of Increment 3.1 equipped Raptors that are upgraded with SAR radar mapping and Small Diameter Bomb capabi

They're not. They are actually the newest jets. The original Raptors at Langley were shipped off to Holloman, Hickam and Nellis when the Lot 8,9,and 10 jets started to arrive.

Apparently, up to 300 knots the Harrier will out accelerate anything short of a Raptor, but then the drag from that intake is just too much and it hits a brick wall.

Some more details about Eglin http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120228/DEFREG02/302280012/Eglin-Pilots-Should-Take-Air-F-35-Next-Week-USAF?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

It did... http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120228/DEFREG02/302280012/Local-Area-Flights-Allowed-F-35?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

Huh- I had attributed that to the difference between FBW and hydraulics, but it might be McDonnell Douglas/Boeing quirks versus Lockheed Martin quirks. An F-16 driver who had transitioned to the F-15 described almost exactly the same thing- using the same vocabulary no less. I suppose it could also be that the Hornet FCS was modeled to feel like an Eagle- but obviously that's pure speculation.

Yes, but does that add any actual warfighting capability? Probably not. I'd wager that if anything the fly-by-wire takes away the "feel" of the aircraft which would have allowed the pilot to judge the airspeed and g-loading of the jet without ever having to look at the HUD or refer to the instruments. But conversely, I suppose it will be easier to pull 9G in the jet- right now, that takes finesse and skill. If anything it's a combat effectiveness neutral upgrade.

Right this minute that might be true, but the F-15E is getting the new APG-82 AESA and new EPAWSS, i.e. Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System, which will boost its defense systems considerably beyond what available for export.

Absolutely. Every pilot I've talked to who has been involved with the program or flown against it says that it unquestionably is. A few of them told me that it's the only aircraft they've ever flown where they can't complain about not having enough thrust (in fact it might be over-powered) and that you have to really watch yourself in afterburner or you might break the jet.

Actually what is interesting is that while the Navy and Marine Corps pilots say it flies like a clean Hornet, the Air Force guys -in this case Smith- say it flies like a clean Block 50 Viper (it wasn't in the article, but that's what he told me). So in practical terms, it'll be a bit better than the legacy jets in that regard. That being said, it's not nearly the air-to-air monster that the Raptor is with its sheer kinematic performance.

Hi All, If you guys have a high res shot of the C-17 or C-130 at Rhino LZ in Khandahar back in 2001 (or early 2002)- ideally taking-off or landing that would be awesome. We'd give you photo credit and it would appear in Armed Force Journal if the editor picks it. Send me a PM if you have one! Thanks! -Dave

Burbage told me they covered up all the antennas and what not to prevent any potential damage.

Litvyak- The Arrow was a white elephant designed for mission that had already gone away if in fact it had ever existed. The Soviet bomber threat was a mirage for the most part. That being most proponents of the Arrow are militarist aviation fanboys rather than scholars or experts in the field. Not my theory- but leading Canadian military scholars like David Bercuson have told me that's the case. And no I don't care about what laymen have to say. The assertion that Bombardier makes nothing worthwhile is pure ignorance. The CRJ series especially the 700,900 and 1000 makes sales in the billions.

Pardon my French, but that's bull$hit. Bombardier makes some of the best regional turboprops and jet-liners on the planet. Canada is third, coming in after the US and the combined might of Europe. Go out to Mirabel- there is a line up of Bell helicopters being built there (and largely designed there too).