MUScoop
MUScoop => The Superbar => Topic started by: muwarrior69 on April 11, 2015, 09:18:49 AM
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http://www.historyinorbit.com/the-top-18-fastest-planes-in-history/?utm_source=ob-nt-2&utm_medium=HistoryInOrbit.com-Desktop-US-FastPlanesFF&utm_content=parked&utm_campaign=18%20Of%20The%20Worlds%20Fastes%20Planes%20That%20You%20Never%20Heard%20Of%20%28PHOTOS%29
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The Warthog will never win a beauty contest or foot race but it is still a magnificent aircraft.
My favorite on that list is the F 4 - the '57 Chevy of fighter aircraft. My father was a Phantom Driver and I still think watching a 4 ship of Phantoms in the break is one of the most sublime images in the history of flight.
(http://thumbs.media.smithsonianmag.com//filer/73/4a/734af369-4905-49fe-a635-95cbbb4048ae/01n_fm2015_heritageformation050908-f-ro572-013_live-cr.jpg__600x0_q85_upscale.jpg)
http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/what-couldnt-f-4-phantom-do-180953944/?no-ist
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http://www.historyinorbit.com/the-top-18-fastest-planes-in-history/?utm_source=ob-nt-2&utm_medium=HistoryInOrbit.com-Desktop-US-FastPlanesFF&utm_content=parked&utm_campaign=18%20Of%20The%20Worlds%20Fastes%20Planes%20That%20You%20Never%20Heard%20Of%20%28PHOTOS%29
If you are ever in LA to see the Space Shuttle, there is a SR 71 on display outside that you can touch and feel. Pretty amazing plane.
Keefe, have you ever been in a glider? On my bucket list to do, was curious of your thoughts around it.
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If you are ever in LA to see the Space Shuttle, there is a SR 71 on display outside that you can touch and feel. Pretty amazing plane.
Keefe, have you ever been in a glider? On my bucket list to do, was curious of your thoughts around it.
The shuttle IS amazing. You can't go inside but there's a enough around it to tantalize the neurons.
I believe there's a Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the same Science Center going on right now.
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If you are ever in LA to see the Space Shuttle, there is a SR 71 on display outside that you can touch and feel. Pretty amazing plane.
Keefe, have you ever been in a glider? On my bucket list to do, was curious of your thoughts around it.
I have never flown in a glider...I am more partial to powered flight with an ejection seat strapped to my ass. I think if one has experienced the raw power of the GE F 110 power plant one would always prefer the roar of jet blast over the whispering winds of gliders.
I did paraglide once off of Tiger Mountain but I found it too tame for my taste. It simply did not compare with going to guns in a Hawg 40' off the deck.
I have met the Habu drivers at the Kadena AB Officers' Club. Those guys fly from Okinawa to the UK in less time than you invest in a leisurely dinner with a good looking woman you are trying to bed. They fly so high they actually wear astronaut wings and they fly so fast their leading edges go white hot from the friction. What is amazing is that the SR 71 is 1950's technology.
Damn shame they clipped the Blackbird's wings. It is an awesome aircraft that helped win the Cold War without ever firing a shot.
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http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/this-video-will-leave-you-begging-the-usaf-to-keep-the-1703292861
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http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/this-video-will-leave-you-begging-the-usaf-to-keep-the-1703292861
A lot of the live fire shown in the video is from Hawgs flying in Cope Thunder out of Eielson AFB near Fairbanks. Some of the absolute best sh1t hot non-combat flying anywhere.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE WARTHOG!
First flight: May 10, 1972
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II
https://youtu.be/ie4BiH09tfI
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I have never flown in a glider...I am more partial to powered flight with an ejection seat strapped to my ass. I think if one has experienced the raw power of the GE F 110 power plant one would always prefer the roar of jet blast over the whispering winds of gliders.
Q: What do you call a warthog driver with a deployed ejection strapped to his ass?
A: Glider.
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I have met the Habu drivers at the Kadena AB Officers' Club. Those guys fly from Okinawa to the UK in less time than you invest in a leisurely dinner with a good looking woman you are trying to bed. They fly so high they actually wear astronaut wings and they fly so fast their leading edges go white hot from the friction. What is amazing is that the SR 71 is 1950's technology.
Damn shame they clipped the Blackbird's wings. It is an awesome aircraft that helped win the Cold War without ever firing a shot.
My dad worked in the same program office as the Habu and Dragon Lady when they brought the Blackbird in for retirement at Wright Pat.....it was a very sad day.
1950s technology is right. Damn thing leaks like a sieve on the ground and has to refuel shortly after take-off because the temperature ranges it operates at were to extreme for any sealants or epoxies. The skin of the aircraft has gaps in it on the ground but when it heats up the metal expands and fills in the gaps.
Amazing aircraft.
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My dad worked in the same program office as the Habu and Dragon Lady when they brought the Blackbird in for retirement at Wright Pat.....it was a very sad day.
1950s technology is right. Damn thing leaks like a sieve on the ground and has to refuel shortly after take-off because the temperature ranges it operates at were to extreme for any sealants or epoxies. The skin of the aircraft has gaps in it on the ground but when it heats up the metal expands and fills in the gaps.
Amazing aircraft.
I have been behind them on the ramp in both the UK and Okinawa and they leaked JP 4 like a broken beer mug.
I remember when I was a 1-LT we had a four ship of F 16s transiting from Misawa to Clark with an enroute 1RON at Kadena. Tower put us in the marshal stack for almost 20 minutes and the taxiing a/c was given an initial go to of Angels 57. I came up on button 5/squadron common joking that the controller was an idiot. The O-4 lead told me to shut up and watch. That was the first time I saw a Habu. Its take off roll was like molasses but once she rotated it was the most magnificent thing I have ever personally witnessed in flight. She was a dot within seconds. It was jaw dropping.
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I have been behind them on the ramp in both the UK and Okinawa and they leaked JP 4 like a broken beer mug.
I remember when I was a 1-LT we had a four ship of F 16s transiting from Misawa to Clark with an enroute 1RON at Kadena. Tower put us in the marshal stack for almost 20 minutes and the taxiing a/c was given an initial go to of Angels 57. I came up on button 5/squadron common joking that the controller was an idiot. The O-4 lead told me to shut up and watch. That was the first time I saw a Habu. Its take off roll was like molasses but once she rotated it was the most magnificent thing I have ever personally witnessed in flight. She was a dot within seconds. It was jaw dropping.
That's a good one. My dad spent a lot of time crewing Talons out of Kadena and Clark in the late 70s.....there were a lot of sightings of those guys heading north especially at night when they could pick up the engine output 50k over them when they were flying maritime interdiction missions "around" the 38th parallel.
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A lot of the live fire shown in the video is from Hawgs flying in Cope Thunder out of Eielson AFB near Fairbanks. Some of the absolute best sh1t hot non-combat flying anywhere.
I needed a respite from the misery of grad school in Champaign-Urbana in the mid 1990s, so a buddy and I trekked to a central Illinois airport for a military air show. This was the last days of Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, IL, and though I think that day's show was in or around Gibson City, IL, I believe many of the planes were based out of Chanute. My buddy had logged extensive hours at U of I's flight school program in Savoy, and his father was a commercial pilot. He was an aviation buff, and not as easily impressed as I was at the spectacle in the sky above us. Before the PA announcer could even begin his next verbal set-up description, my bud had seen the A-10 Warthog lined up on the runway. His whole countenance went from bored and disinterested to the proverbial "Ralph gets his bb gun at x-mas" face...he was silent most of the show up until then, but simply focused on the A-10 still parked on the tarmac, then turned to me and said, "Prepare for BADASS!"
The simulated combat run that followed sent chills up my spine. That ordinance gun noise is almost ghostly. After telling the crowd that the A-10 Warthog also answered to the no-nonsense name "tank killer", the PA announcer went on to say, " I would tell you guys what enemy combatants are known to utter upon seeing an A10 approaching, but I see too many kids at this family show!"
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Keefe,
If you game, this might be cool if it ever gets made: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1841131003/thrustmaster-warthog-mig-29-f-15-f-18-add-on-stick?ref=newest
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Hey Keefe, another Clint Eastwood film you might like.
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/06/03/clint-eastwood-will-make-biopic-pilot-sully-sullenberger/?intcmp=features
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Keefe,
If you game, this might be cool if it ever gets made: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1841131003/thrustmaster-warthog-mig-29-f-15-f-18-add-on-stick?ref=newest
Hey, I just saw this. I am not a gamer but I shared it with team members who are avid xBoxers!
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Hey Keefe, another Clint Eastwood film you might like.
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/06/03/clint-eastwood-will-make-biopic-pilot-sully-sullenberger/?intcmp=features
What's amazing about that incident is that Sullenberger had a split second to make that one essential decision that saved hundreds of lives. People might not appreciate that fighter pilots are overwhelmed with data and our training is much more about sifting through all of those continuous streams and making decisions constantly. In Sullenberger's case that training paid off in a big way on a big stage.
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What's amazing about that incident is that Sullenberger had a split second to make that one essential decision that saved hundreds of lives. People might not appreciate that fighter pilots are overwhelmed with data and our training is much more about sifting through all of those continuous streams and making decisions constantly. In Sullenberger's case that training paid off in a big way on a big stage.
Decision implies more than one choice. As I understand, ditching in the river was the only choice he had at that point, so it's more about execution here than decision making, no?
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Decision implies more than one choice. As I understand, ditching in the river was the only choice he had at that point, so it's more about execution here than decision making, no?
He had decisions....he could try to extend to Teterboro or try to RTB. Ditching in the Hudson was probably 4th or 5th on the list of options if ranked traditionally. Most pilots(imho) would have tried to go for an airfield and wouldn't have made it. Sully had to figure out his energy...what it would take to make any of his alternatives and figure out that relative to the survival odds of putting it into the Hudson successfully.
Reaching the Hudson was the easiest of the options, landing in the Hudson and saving any of the passengers (let alone all of them) was by far the hardest of the options.
Just to further illustrate both the skill of Sully and the sheer data they had to process....on the Airbus they were flying there is a "ditch" button that when activated seals all vents/ports etc to retain buoyancy in the water to provide more time to escape. They forgot to hit the button, and ditched without out it.
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Decision implies more than one choice. As I understand, ditching in the river was the only choice he had at that point, so it's more about execution here than decision making, no?
He had multiple choices. He processed a large amount of data and made a decision. In a split second. Frankly, ditching on water is hardly the optimal in any scenario but he factored in a couple dozen variables and went for the water. In this case his airmanship came into play - not many aviators could have pulled this one off. It was a ballsy call but he had the right stuff to make it work.
The thing about military pilots is that their ability to deconflict any of a number of EPs is hard wired in their DNA through screening, training, evaluation, and repetition. What Sullenberger pulled off was phenomenal.
While living in Tokyo a Navy buddy, now a Captain flying 74's for NWA, came through town. We met up in Shibuya and he brought along his FO. We were talking about flying off the carrier and the FO, who had zero military time, blithely commented how he thought about joining but chose not to. He spoke rather casually of how he would have enjoyed flying off a ship.
My Navy buddy and I made eye contact - people have no idea of how bloody different flying high performance tactical aircraft is from any other form of flying. And to assume that because one is a pilot one could master launching and recovering on an aircraft carrier is at a minimum extremely naïve.
Sullenberger performed a miracle but that was the standard set for him while flying tactical jets for the US Air Force. I really doubt a guy who only went through Embry Riddle could have done the same. One should not underestimate the remarkable skill Sullenberger brought to that particular emergency situation.
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I'm not disagreeing, but perhaps it's Semantics regarding "choices"...
The way I look at it is that sure, Sully had lots of options... ditch, extend, return, land in an airfield, land on a moving train, crash into a building, land on the moon, call his lady to cancel their dinner reservation, etc. But since he was actually trying to save lives, some of those options aren't "choices" at all.
Yes, Sully ran through his "choices" in a matter of seconds. But my understanding is that at that point he only had one feasible option, ergo choice, to save ever soul on board, ditch. RTB or extend were not feasible options, so they were never a choice. "Making a decision" implies you have several similar alternatives of which to choose. Sully didn't... he had one choice amongst a bunch of other impossible options. To say that Sully made a decision implies that he miscalculated one of the "options" as a feasible choice, and that, inherently, is somewhat insulting.
My point is that what Sully did doesn't make him a good decision maker... it makes him one of the best damn pilots in the world.
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My point is that what Sully did doesn't make him a good decision maker... it makes him one of the best damn pilots in the world.
When we speak of passenger carriers the Sullenberger emergency procedure case study is a great example of how several hundred people are alive today because of humans on the flight station. There is no computer that could have deconflicted that situation.
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hows about one of these bad boys doin a loop da loop
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4292852418001/boeing-787-dreamliner-performs-near-vertical-takeoff/?#sp=show-clips
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hows about one of these bad boys doin a loop da loop
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4292852418001/boeing-787-dreamliner-performs-near-vertical-takeoff/?#sp=show-clips
Not bad for a plastic aircraft...
I hate to burst the balloon but a lot of that view is perspective...he would have bled off all his lift at that altitude and speed in a 90 (unlike a tactical fighter that has tremendous thrust:weight and can actually pull off a genuine vert launch.)
Having said which, that is still damned impressive for a chunk of plastic that big flying that slow
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Still the most sh1t hot aircraft in the world
https://www.youtube.com/v/1rGcn2XGr48
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https://youtu.be/_yMXTEowRpA?t=6m24s
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https://www.youtube.com/v/t30oE6AbXaw
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Should we be worried?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-06-17/the-china-pakistan-fighter-jet-built-on-the-cheap?cmpid=otbrn.video
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Should we be worried?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-06-17/the-china-pakistan-fighter-jet-built-on-the-cheap?cmpid=otbrn.video
Uh, no.
They have built an airframe. Differentiators include avionics, power plants, weapons load out, pilot proficiency, tactical doctrine, C3, maintenance, logistics.
I am thinking the guys in the 57th ATG at Nellis are licking their chops rather than soiling their Calvins. They have already figured out how to beat this thing 20x over.
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I wonder if the jet sounds like a snowmobile engine.
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Yo keefe-a little help here might allow me to sleep better
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MILITARY_PLANE_CRASH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-06-26-01-50-02
Thanks
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Keefe-would you be able to translate this situation re: the Iraqi pilot training here. Kinda brings back memories of a few years back. Some guys training on how to fly our "big dogs" only to unfortunately find out later, their real intentions.
Patient of mine-pilot for United on THAT dreadful day was flying his 747 into U.S. From Canada as all hell was breaking loose. He had two Saudi nationals onboard. Well, they found out after they landed, that their plane was to take part in the jihad, but was called off at last minute as the whole thing unfolded-fascinating story to hear him tell it- gives ya goose pimples-cold ones
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Keefe-would you be able to translate this situation re: the Iraqi pilot training here. Kinda brings back memories of a few years back. Some guys training on how to fly our "big dogs" only to unfortunately find out later, their real intentions.
Patient of mine-pilot for United on THAT dreadful day was flying his 747 into U.S. From Canada as all hell was breaking loose. He had two Saudi nationals onboard. Well, they found out after they landed, that their plane was to take part in the jihad, but was called off at last minute as the whole thing unfolded-fascinating story to hear him tell it- gives ya goose pimples-cold ones
As the article says, the US conducts international training for pilots in Arizona, i.e. allied military pilots. The pilot in this case was a Brigadier General... that's a pretty high ranking, even for the Iraqis (i.e. if jihadists were trying to "infiltrate" the enemy in order to attack it, I'd imagine there are far easier paths than having to go through the ranks of the Iraqi Air Force to a Brig Gen). That's a pretty stark contrast to the jihadists who sought out private flight training nearly a couple decades ago.
Then again, some of the foreign fighters in Afghanistan who the US trained to push back the Soviets in the 80s eventually used their training against the U.S. and its allies (Osama Bin Laden being one of those)... so sure, you could take the position that we should never train a foreign military because you never know when an ally might turn into an enemy, but that's horrible foreign policy. You also can't shy away from training our allies just because they're middle eastern; after all, they are the allies who need our help the most... which is worse, a) training your allies knowing the possibility that some fighters may eventually defect or b) allowing your allies to be overtaken by the enemy knowing the certainty that all of them will defect (or be killed).
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It's funny because glow asked me off-line about all those same F 16s parked on the far side of Tuscon IAP. The USAF assigned the AZ ANG (well, Brig Gen/Sen Barry Goldwater of AFRES "asked" the AF) the mission of instructing F 16 Fighter Weapons Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures to NATO, Allied, and friendly air forces at Tuscon. The AZ ANG 162nd Fighter Wing is the largest F 16 Wing on the books and it hosts on-going F 16 Type Training, F 16 Replacement Training, and Advanced TTPs for anyone who has bought F 16s from Uncle Sugar.
I have flown in 162nd exercises against foreign F 16 drivers over the years and it is great fun. The ranges over AZ, NM, UT, and NV offer the most liberal flying parameters and the gloves come off for DACT over the desert. I have mixed it up with Israeli, Singaporean, Korean, Norwegian, Belgian, Danish, etc... F 16 drivers both in the skies over AZ and in the bars of Tucson.
I actually am buds with the recently retired Wing King of the 162nd - Brig Gen Greg "Binky" Stroud. Biny started life as a Navy puke but wised up and switched over to the Blue. Obviously, he washed off his F-18 stink because he ended up wearing stars. And to be given command of the 162nd Fighter Wing is a very big deal.
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F35B Ski Jump?
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/06/29/f-35-fighter-jet-nails-olympic-worthy-ski-jump-takeoff/?intcmp=features
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F35B Ski Jump?
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/06/29/f-35-fighter-jet-nails-olympic-worthy-ski-jump-takeoff/?intcmp=features
It's how the British and Italian's choose to deploy their V/STOL aircraft. Instead of using a catapult, they deploy a ramp so they don't have to VTOL every time. One of the keys to making the JSF "cheap" is deploying it with foreign forces like the British. So as part of the deal Lockheed is doing type testing for those foreign services.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMqLkiDllOv4FRIxMUAVWZ03WNOg-A0vcIquT53Wr8cybxUCUyCQ)
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYu61Uk3-h0o5Hq8_sPd3sKikmlRPt7F6eeVAQETOtl_4VDC4S)
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As the article says, the US conducts international training for pilots in Arizona, i.e. allied military pilots. The pilot in this case was a Brigadier General... that's a pretty high ranking, even for the Iraqis (i.e. if jihadists were trying to "infiltrate" the enemy in order to attack it, I'd imagine there are far easier paths than having to go through the ranks of the Iraqi Air Force to a Brig Gen). That's a pretty stark contrast to the jihadists who sought out private flight training nearly a couple decades ago.
Then again, some of the foreign fighters in Afghanistan who the US trained to push back the Soviets in the 80s eventually used their training against the U.S. and its allies (Osama Bin Laden being one of those)... so sure, you could take the position that we should never train a foreign military because you never know when an ally might turn into an enemy, but that's horrible foreign policy. You also can't shy away from training our allies just because they're middle eastern; after all, they are the allies who need our help the most... which is worse, a) training your allies knowing the possibility that some fighters may eventually defect or b) allowing your allies to be overtaken by the enemy knowing the certainty that all of them will defect (or be killed).
Ok, it's just that fort hood kinda sticks in my mind yet, but just trusting and verifying
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It's how the British and Italian's choose to deploy their V/STOL aircraft. Instead of using a catapult, they deploy a ramp so they don't have to VTOL every time. One of the keys to making the JSF "cheap" is deploying it with foreign forces like the British. So as part of the deal Lockheed is doing type testing for those foreign services.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMqLkiDllOv4FRIxMUAVWZ03WNOg-A0vcIquT53Wr8cybxUCUyCQ)
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYu61Uk3-h0o5Hq8_sPd3sKikmlRPt7F6eeVAQETOtl_4VDC4S)
Interesting discussion around the EFA program. I know some RAF guys who have time in the EFA and they said it was a European version of the F 15 built 35 years later. EFA is really just another teen series fighter; the EFA indexes slightly behind F 15 C/Es in most crucial operating characteristics.
The EFA and F 15 C/E have similar BVR lethality but USAF airframes have superior avionics and power plants to anything developed in Europe. Once the USAF retrofitted Eagles with APG-63 - 3 active phased arrays and ERAAMs the F 15 established a clear dogfighting advantage over anything made in Europe, Russia, or China.
F 15s also have a decisive advantage in BVR combat profile transonic and supersonic acceleration, persistence and sustained turn performance because of the F100-PW-229 power plant in both dry thrust and reheat. The Eagle also has greater internal fuel capacity which extends range and superior dash for point intercept. The EFA needs to sling external stores to match F 15 combat radius and the increased drag retards thrust:weight by more than 20%.
So why did the EU decide to build the EFA? Pride goeth before the fall. What is sad is that RAF sticks are begging for the F 35 only because the hugely expensive EFA will never hold set in any air-air engagement against next-gen stealth aircraft.
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Ok, it's just that fort hood kinda sticks in my mind yet, but just trusting and verifying
The perpetrator there, Nidal Hassan, was born in Virginia. Lived his entire life in the U.S. Wasn't even charged with terrorism... just another nutjob hailing from the DC area.
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... just another nutjob hailing from the DC area.
wtfo??
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The perpetrator there, Nidal Hassan, was born in Virginia. Lived his entire life in the U.S. Wasn't even charged with terrorism... just another nutjob hailing from the DC area.
"workplace violence"
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wtfo??
Born and raised in Arlington... that was the DC area last I checked.
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Born and raised in Arlington... that was the DC area last I checked.
Yeah, but you don't have to be from another country to be a terrorist
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/03/pentagon-vaunted-f-35-earns-lousy-review-from-test-pilot-in-secret-report/?intcmp=latestnews
Your thoughts on this, Keefe.
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/03/pentagon-vaunted-f-35-earns-lousy-review-from-test-pilot-in-secret-report/?intcmp=latestnews
Your thoughts on this, Keefe.
It is hard to say what the F 35 driver's comments were without reading through the complete debrief. But a critical issue for the 35 is that is was never designed to be a turn and burn dog fighter; its design inhibits maneuverability and exacerbates its inherent lack of energy maneuverability.
Fourth gen/Teen Series fighters like the 15, 16, and 18 were really the last airframes designed for Dissimilar Aerial Combat or dog fighting. If any of these three airframes get in close to a 35 the 35 is dead. But the point is that the F 35, in concert with an integrated Airspace Battle Management System, will not have to worry about Mig 31s getting in close. Or at least that is the theory...
An important aside is that despite the nonsense depicted in the movie Top Gun, the F 14 was never intended to be a turn and burn dog fighter. It was designed for one mission: to carry a bunch of AIM 54 Phoenix Air-Air Missiles. The terminal threat to aircraft carriers was hordes of Soviet Backfires launching stream raids out of the Kola Peninsula to attack our carriers. The Tomcat was designed to fly fast and launch the AIM 54 which had a range of almost 200 nm to kill Backfires before they could launch their AS 4 ASMs.
The Navy excels at making movies...
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The Navy excels at making movies...
Don't sell yourself short, fly boy; Broken Arrow was the zenith of military aviation movies.
But of course, we all know why the Air Force loves this movie: John Travolta.
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Don't sell yourself short, fly boy; Broken Arrow was the zenith of military aviation movies.
But of course, we all know why the Air Force loves this movie: John Travolta.
On a serious note, the movie Twelve O'Clock High is a masterpiece. It is required viewing for all military officers and is a mandatory business case on Leadership at Harvard Business School.
When you screen for command in the USAF you are sent to a two-week school at Langley AFB. One of the very first lessons is that a Commander is not one of the guys anymore. And that is a very hard thing to learn because the bedrock foundation of a fighter squadron is the esprit d corps and camaraderie of what the RAF calls 'mateship.' Suddenly, by virtue of an act of Congress, you are no longer one of the guys because you must make decisions that affect the careers and lives of all those exceptional men in your command.
As an aside, everyone makes fun of the USAF as being a cushy life but the reality is that in WW II the Army Air Force had more members killed in combat than the Navy and Marines Corps combined. The statistical probability of a crew making it to 25 combat sorties was incredibly small.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickvaishnavi/2013/04/11/5-leadership-lessons-for-todays-executive-3/
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It is hard to say what the F 35 driver's comments were without reading through the complete debrief. But a critical issue for the 35 is that is was never designed to be a turn and burn dog fighter; its design inhibits maneuverability and exacerbates its inherent lack of energy maneuverability.
Fourth gen/Teen Series fighters like the 15, 16, and 18 were really the last airframes designed for Dissimilar Aerial Combat or dog fighting. If any of these three airframes get in close to a 35 the 35 is dead. But the point is that the F 35, in concert with an integrated Airspace Battle Management System, will not have to worry about Mig 31s getting in close. Or at least that is the theory...
An important aside is that despite the nonsense depicted in the movie Top Gun, the F 14 was never intended to be a turn and burn dog fighter. It was designed for one mission: to carry a bunch of AIM 54 Phoenix Air-Air Missiles. The terminal threat to aircraft carriers was hordes of Soviet Backfires launching stream raids out of the Kola Peninsula to attack our carriers. The Tomcat was designed to fly fast and launch the AIM 54 which had a range of almost 200 nm to kill Backfires before they could launch their AS 4 ASMs.
The Navy excels at making movies...
Feels like you are just crying out from attention from the Navy.....typical zoomie, needs attention from those above to feel good ;)
All kidding aside, Keefe is 100% correct.....the F-14 was a pig in a knife fight, bled energy too quickly or chewed up too much JP4 if you kept it in zone 4/5 to keep ahead of the energy curve. It was a stand-off weapon, that's why they were all replaced by the Rhino's (originally slated to just replace the A-6/A-7 airframes)
Unfortunately, based on everything I'm hearing.....the Navy version (B model) of the JSF is going to be worse. The platform was "retrofit" to be carrier capable which means they've had to slap on a bunch of reinforcing elements through out the airframe to withstand carrier shots and landings. It's essentially the same powerplant as the A version(USAF) so the plane got heavier but the thrust stayed the same....not a great combination.
Just thinking about it from an engineering standpoint gives me nightmares...the trade-offs are insane:
80% component conformance with the rest of the variants (airfield, carrier, and V/STOL)
Stealth requirements
Carrier based performance
Air to Mud and self-defense
Survive a modern battlespace on a single power plant
I think this is going to prove to be the boondoggle of boondoggles.
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Feels like you are just crying out from attention from the Navy.....typical zoomie, needs attention from those above to feel good ;)
All kidding aside, Keefe is 100% correct.....the F-14 was a pig in a knife fight, bled energy too quickly or chewed up too much JP4 if you kept it in zone 4/5 to keep ahead of the energy curve. It was a stand-off weapon, that's why they were all replaced by the Rhino's (originally slated to just replace the A-6/A-7 airframes)
Unfortunately, based on everything I'm hearing.....the Navy version (B model) of the JSF is going to be worse. The platform was "retrofit" to be carrier capable which means they've had to slap on a bunch of reinforcing elements through out the airframe to withstand carrier shots and landings. It's essentially the same powerplant as the A version(USAF) so the plane got heavier but the thrust stayed the same....not a great combination.
Just thinking about it from an engineering standpoint gives me nightmares...the trade-offs are insane:
80% component conformance with the rest of the variants (airfield, carrier, and V/STOL)
Stealth requirements
Carrier based performance
Air to Mud and self-defense
Survive a modern battlespace on a single power plant
I think this is going to prove to be the boondoggle of boondoggles.
The 35 is a horrible horrible aircraft. It is a case study in how politicians make engineering impossible. At the end of the day it is the country that will lose out.
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Why did we give up on F22 so quickly? I was under the impression that it was light years ahead of enemy technology.
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Maybe I'm being a bit obtuse, but am I the only one thinking that the US would be well protected in the skies with a strike airfleet consisting predominantly of Hornets, Warthogs and UAVs? Consider that the enemies we're fighting today are pretty much going to be the same forces we're fighting in the future... the JSF might help if we were eventually going to war with China or the USSR v2.0, but if that actually were to happen, I'd be more worried about expiration dates in my nuclear bunker than which side has the fanciest jets.
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Why did we give up on F22 so quickly? I was under the impression that it was light years ahead of enemy technology.
Two totally different aircraft and totally different missions. F-22 is intended for winning the battlespace and the F-35 is intended to be an attack/self-defense aircraft. F-35 was born out of the reaction (to a certain extent) by congress of how bloody damn expensive the Raptor is as well as new aircraft acquisition costs in general. We'll have something like 160 F-22s by the end of FY18 so it will be considered the USAF's primary air superiority fighter with the Eagles being primary back-up in that role. I have very few connections to the Raptors so Keefe would speak to that much better than I.
Keefe, what's the latest on the shelf life for the Vipers? Do they phase out as the JSF comes on-board? If so, god help whoever tries to fly Wild Weasel with an F-35.
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Maybe I'm being a bit obtuse, but am I the only one thinking that the US would be well protected in the skies with a strike airfleet consisting predominantly of Hornets, Warthogs and UAVs? Consider that the enemies we're fighting today are pretty much going to be the same forces we're fighting in the future... the JSF might help if we were eventually going to war with China or the USSR v2.0, but if that actually were to happen, I'd be more worried about expiration dates in my nuclear bunker than which side has the fanciest jets.
Keep in mind, the JSF is primarily not about new technology....it was suppose to be about more affordable airframes and reduced life cycle costs. The F-35 was supposed to fill so many roles with so much compatibility amongst the variants that the supply chain would be super cheap and we'd build so many airframes we'd get economy of scale so each one would be cheaper. PLUS we'll add on stealth....bam, we're all set.
The thinking went that we can replace the following platforms with a single platform:
F-16 (~950 aircraft)
F-18 (~400)
AV-8 (~80)
some F-15 roles (the rest are replaced by F-22s)
All that packed into one airframe?!?! The cost savings are enormous and inevitable ;) ;D
Then we layered technology on top.
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Keep in mind, the JSF is primarily not about new technology....it was suppose to be about more affordable airframes and reduced life cycle costs. The F-35 was supposed to fill so many roles with so much compatibility amongst the variants that the supply chain would be super cheap and we'd build so many airframes we'd get economy of scale so each one would be cheaper. PLUS we'll add on stealth....bam, we're all set.
The thinking went that we can replace the following platforms with a single platform:
F-16 (~950 aircraft)
F-18 (~400)
AV-8 (~80)
some F-15 roles (the rest are replaced by F-22s)
All that packed into one airframe?!?! The cost savings are enormous and inevitable ;) ;D
Then we layered technology on top.
Several variants, many roles, many frames, economies of scale... but at the end of the day, one plane. Hopefully the planes weakness(es) vary amongst the variants; otherwise, we just made the enemy's counter-operations a heck of a lot easier.
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This one is for Keefe!
From the current Connecticut Magazine, one of your favorite eateries is mentioned.
http://www.connecticutmag.com/Blog/The-Connecticut-Table/June-2015/Where-Craft-Beer-Mingles-With-Good-Food-Six-Connecticut-Hotspots/
Where Craft Beer Mingles With Good Food: Six Connecticut Hotspots
By Connecticut Magazine staff
To the uninitiated, the term “beer bar” might sound redundant. After all, don’t almost all bars have beer? And isn’t calling one a “beer bar” like calling a dining establishment a “food restaurant?” The answer is yes and no. While the majority of bars have beer, not all bars have great beer.
Connecticut has seen more than six new breweries open this year and, as the number of local breweries has increased, so has the public’s thirst for specialty beer. Consequently, quality suds have become available in unexpected places, from sports bars to catering halls.
But there are certain establishments where beer is the undisputed king. At these true beer bars, each beverage is examined with the care of an antiques appraisal and employees scour local, national and international offerings for the best brews.
Here is a six-pack of Connecticut beer bars, chosen not only because these establishments are passionate about beer but also because they employ a similar craft-first attitude to the food they offer. (This is the first in a series of at least four six-packs (a.k.a. stories) on great places in Connecticut that marry good food with a serious devotion to craft beer, so stay tuned.)
Coalhouse Pizza, Stamford
At first glance, Coalhouse Pizza doesn’t look like a world-class beer bar. With its bright lighting and images of famous musicians on the walls, it seems more like a fun place to grab an excellent pizza with the family (which incidentally it also is) than a place that can make a beer nerd’s eyes light up.
But don’t let first impressions fool you. Coalhouse has an epic beer list and passion for craft that can go toe-to-toe with the hippest of dimly lit hipster bars. The bar and restaurant currently features 52 draft lines and will soon expand to 85 lines following the addition of an 850-square-foot bar area that will add more than 150 varieties of bourbon and whiskey.
Owner Gerard Robertson is a passionate beer lover and champion of craft beer. Coalhouse was the first place in Fairfield County to carry Beer’d brews and an early proponent of New England Brewing Co. The place also hosts events from tap takeovers to homebrew competitions to brewer meet-and-greets. Unlike some bars with dozens of draft lines, here the beer is always clean and fresh.
“Every day of the week, year round, we run a $12 pitcher special featuring 10 to 20 different Connecticut craft brewers,” Robertson says. “We keep our prices notably less than other craft beer venues because we think craft beer should be available to everyone.”
The restaurant’s “craft pizza” lives up to the beer—pizzas are cooked at high temperatures that sear in flavor and add a delicious char and smoke taste.
Robertson recommends pairing IPAs with Coalhouse’s marinated chicken wings and sauces. He adds wheat beers are “perfect with our ‘Bumpin' on Sunset Pizza,’” which features goat cheese, bosc pears, red onions, pistachios and honey truffle oil.
(203) 977-7700, coalhousepizza.com On Twitter at @COALHOUSE_PIZZA
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Keefe, what's the latest on the shelf life for the Vipers? Do they phase out as the JSF comes on-board? If so, god help whoever tries to fly Wild Weasel with an F-35.
This is a very political can of worms. The USAF Corona Plan was to retire the A 10, keep CJs and Vipers in the fleet for air-2-mud, and start standing up F 35 squadrons. According to Corona, the limiting factor in flying all three tails is maintenance support.
The official USAF 4-star position is that Big Blue cannot provide maintenance support for all three platforms and must stand down CJs and Vipers if Congress forces the USAF to keep the A 10. At the end of the day we are talking about 1,100 enlisted maintainer billets. Effectively, according to Corona, the AF will be forced to mothball billions of dollars worth of F 16s because of a $13M manpower shortfall.
In an interesting twist, the Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno (whom I know from my time as the CAS Chief for III Corps when he was MNC-I,) testified to Congress that he would pay for the A 10 out of the Army's OPTAR budget; I know personally that Odierno is a HUGE fan of the A 10 because he recognizes its value as an exceptional force multiplier that saves lives in the field.
Another dimension to the A 10 story is that a large number of Hawgs are actually part of the ANG inventory and the Guard has its own political constituencies. Way back when the USAF assigned a large % of A 10 tails to the Air Guard because CAS was not as sexy as strategic bombing the enemy into submission or shooting down our adversary one tail at a time. As the Berlin Wall came down and the warfighting paradigm shifted to asymetric warfare the A 10 emerged as the preeminent air combat asset. In an ironic twist, a Cold War decision to dump the A 10 into the Air Guard came back to haunt Mother Air Force both operationally and, more importantly, politically.
ANG squadrons bring lots of solid jobs to towns like Kalamazoo, Willow Grove, and Fort Wayne. For every airline pilot flying Hawgs on weekends there are dozens of full-time maintainer, admin, and ops jobs to keep the fleet combat ready. And the Guard guys are Title 32 so they report to the Governor and not President (until activated into Title 10 status.)
Since you asked about SEAD the primary Wild Weasel and Iron Hand platforms are the CJ and the Prowler/Growler. One of the reasons I screened for PEP and flew Prowlers was my experience as a CJ driver. Even if the USAF mothballs F 16s they need to keep the CJs operational for the Wild Weasel mission. My father flew Thuds and F 4Gs back in the day and I know he was pleased that I picked up the torch and flew Wild Weasel CJs. Looking back, the Wild Weasel mission is a really crazy way to make a living. I am not certain my young bride knew exactly how stupid I was or how likely she would be a widow if the balloon had gone up and we went toe-2-toe with Ivan.
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Why did we give up on F22 so quickly? I was under the impression that it was light years ahead of enemy technology.
the 22 and 35 are very different platforms with completely different missions
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This one is for Keefe!
From the current Connecticut Magazine, one of your favorite eateries is mentioned.
http://www.connecticutmag.com/Blog/The-Connecticut-Table/June-2015/Where-Craft-Beer-Mingles-With-Good-Food-Six-Connecticut-Hotspots/
Where Craft Beer Mingles With Good Food: Six Connecticut Hotspots
By Connecticut Magazine staff
To the uninitiated, the term “beer bar” might sound redundant. After all, don’t almost all bars have beer? And isn’t calling one a “beer bar” like calling a dining establishment a “food restaurant?” The answer is yes and no. While the majority of bars have beer, not all bars have great beer.
Connecticut has seen more than six new breweries open this year and, as the number of local breweries has increased, so has the public’s thirst for specialty beer. Consequently, quality suds have become available in unexpected places, from sports bars to catering halls.
But there are certain establishments where beer is the undisputed king. At these true beer bars, each beverage is examined with the care of an antiques appraisal and employees scour local, national and international offerings for the best brews.
Here is a six-pack of Connecticut beer bars, chosen not only because these establishments are passionate about beer but also because they employ a similar craft-first attitude to the food they offer. (This is the first in a series of at least four six-packs (a.k.a. stories) on great places in Connecticut that marry good food with a serious devotion to craft beer, so stay tuned.)
Coalhouse Pizza, Stamford
At first glance, Coalhouse Pizza doesn’t look like a world-class beer bar. With its bright lighting and images of famous musicians on the walls, it seems more like a fun place to grab an excellent pizza with the family (which incidentally it also is) than a place that can make a beer nerd’s eyes light up.
But don’t let first impressions fool you. Coalhouse has an epic beer list and passion for craft that can go toe-to-toe with the hippest of dimly lit hipster bars. The bar and restaurant currently features 52 draft lines and will soon expand to 85 lines following the addition of an 850-square-foot bar area that will add more than 150 varieties of bourbon and whiskey.
Owner Gerard Robertson is a passionate beer lover and champion of craft beer. Coalhouse was the first place in Fairfield County to carry Beer’d brews and an early proponent of New England Brewing Co. The place also hosts events from tap takeovers to homebrew competitions to brewer meet-and-greets. Unlike some bars with dozens of draft lines, here the beer is always clean and fresh.
“Every day of the week, year round, we run a $12 pitcher special featuring 10 to 20 different Connecticut craft brewers,” Robertson says. “We keep our prices notably less than other craft beer venues because we think craft beer should be available to everyone.”
The restaurant’s “craft pizza” lives up to the beer—pizzas are cooked at high temperatures that sear in flavor and add a delicious char and smoke taste.
Robertson recommends pairing IPAs with Coalhouse’s marinated chicken wings and sauces. He adds wheat beers are “perfect with our ‘Bumpin' on Sunset Pizza,’” which features goat cheese, bosc pears, red onions, pistachios and honey truffle oil.
(203) 977-7700, coalhousepizza.com On Twitter at @COALHOUSE_PIZZA
Great stuff, Nutmeg! Love me some Coalhouse!!
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Since you asked about SEAD the primary Wild Weasel and Iron Hand platforms are the CJ and the Prowler/Growler. One of the reasons I screened for PEP and flew Prowlers was my experience as a CJ driver. Even if the USAF mothballs F 16s they need to keep the CJs operational for the Wild Weasel mission. My father flew Thuds and F 4Gs back in the day and I know he was pleased that I picked up the torch and flew Wild Weasel CJs. Looking back, the Wild Weasel mission is a really crazy way to make a living. I am not certain my young bride knew exactly how stupid I was or how likely she would be a widow if the balloon had gone up and we went toe-2-toe with Ivan.
It was where I was looking to go myself(hence the question), especially when they were moving to the Growler but alas it was not to be.
Did the CJs ever get the Falcon Edge upgrade (part of Block 60 for UAE). My dad was the program manager for Falcon Edge at Northup in the late 90s.
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It was where I was looking to go myself(hence the question), especially when they were moving to the Growler but alas it was not to be.
Did the CJs ever get the Falcon Edge upgrade (part of Block 60 for UAE). My dad was the program manager for Falcon Edge at Northup in the late 90s.
The last significant CJ upgrade was the Block 52 which integrated the HARM/STARM/Shrike ASQ 213 targeting package as well as the avionics suite for RIVET JOINT battle management support.
The new projected Viper is an F 16 CJ/DJ Block 52 that incorporates a robusted AESA radar system. The problem with the V is that it weighs almost 4,000 pounds more than a straight F 16.
The Block 60 is only flown by allies (I don't know exactly who has it but I have seen UAE Block 60s at Red Flags.) I understand they have the robusted AESA radar as well as improved ECM/DECM/ESM capabilities which is probably the Falcon Edge package. The UAE birds also have conformal internal stores which make it look like a Mirage from certain aspects while airborne.
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20,000 lbs vs 1500 lbs collide in mid air today
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/07/officials-f-16-small-plane-collide-in-midair-over-south-carolina/?intcmp=latestnews
what do you think went wrong? communications? flight plans? are the cessna's visual only or do they have the necessary instrumentations or would that not have made any difference?
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20,000 lbs vs 1500 lbs collide in mid air today
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/07/officials-f-16-small-plane-collide-in-midair-over-south-carolina/?intcmp=latestnews
what do you think went wrong? communications? flight plans? are the cessna's visual only or do they have the necessary instrumentations or would that not have made any difference?
It sounds like there was a problem with the F 16 and the mid air was inadvertent but we need to wait for the mishap investigation. Class Alpha mishaps are very serious matters and the Lawn Dart driver is going to be poked and prodded in every way possible to get at the facts.
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The last significant CJ upgrade was the Block 52 which integrated the HARM/STARM/Shrike ASQ 213 targeting package as well as the avionics suite for RIVET JOINT battle management support.
The new projected Viper is an F 16 CJ/DJ Block 52 that incorporates a robusted AESA radar system. The problem with the V is that it weighs almost 4,000 pounds more than a straight F 16.
The Block 60 is only flown by allies (I don't know exactly who has it but I have seen UAE Block 60s at Red Flags.) I understand they have the robusted AESA radar as well as improved ECM/DECM/ESM capabilities which is probably the Falcon Edge package. The UAE birds also have conformal internal stores which make it look like a Mirage from certain aspects while airborne.
So they updated the data bus in the Block 52D?
Falcon Edge slaved the ANQ-165 to the RWR suite as well as give the threat receiver bearing and range capability. I think it was also the first time the multiplex data bus was deployed (1533) but I could be wrong about that.
I know the Block 60 was built specifically by UAE and they funded the entire damn thing, but I don't know if anyone else is flying them these days.
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So they updated the data bus in the Block 52D?
Falcon Edge slaved the ANQ-165 to the RWR suite as well as give the threat receiver bearing and range capability. I think it was also the first time the multiplex data bus was deployed (1533) but I could be wrong about that.
I know the Block 60 was built specifically by UAE and they funded the entire damn thing, but I don't know if anyone else is flying them these days.
The Block 60 upgrades were in power plant because of the huge weight increase and in targeting systems (LANTIRN/FLIR/AESA integration.) We played with UAE Block 60s at Red Flag and were able to spoof that system fairly easily though not with the ease we had been in other series. In essence, the Block 60 Falcon is a cheaper alternative to the 35 for allied forces.
The ALQ 165 is really a Navy system so I don't know too much about the specifics (I am very familiar with the ALQ 99, however.) I know Block 50 series birds employ the ALR 56 and that is a superb system for operating down in the dirt in high threat environments. As for RIVET JOINT integration we should likely refrain from going into those details on Scoop unless we want to have the FBI knock on our doors...
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As for RIVET JOINT integration we should likely refrain from going into those details on Scoop unless we want to have the FBI knock on our doors...
Oh so now who is discouraged by less than savory destinations. ;) ;D
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Oh so now who is discouraged by less than savory destinations. ;) ;D
My tail pipe has been egress only and I intend to keep it that way. Leavenworth ain't for Lovers...
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http://www.viralworld.net/this-plane-has-some-firepower-meet-the-a-10-warthog/?utm_source=outbrain&utm_content=warthog5.jpg&utm_campaign=This%20Is%20The%20Most%20Lethal%20U.S.%20Military%20Airplane,%20And%20Also%20The%20Ugliest&utm_medium=ViralWorld.net-Desktop-US-Warthog-OB1-1
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I never realized the A-10 had such a wimpy little gun attached to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd2QyIEdDGc
Wish the video was longer. Pretty cool.
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https://www.youtube.com/v/H4LOGfuuugc
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For Keefe:
https://youtu.be/nhQS48vUye0?t=11m42s
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I just saw an interesting time-lapse video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW7M4CDHIes) showing the maintenance/rebuild of a U-2 that is performed every 4700 flight hours. I'm curious how often they do that? How many hours will a U-2 log in a year?
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I just saw an interesting time-lapse video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW7M4CDHIes) showing the maintenance/rebuild of a U-2 that is performed every 4700 flight hours. I'm curious how often they do that? How many hours will a U-2 log in a year?
Classified
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I just saw an interesting time-lapse video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW7M4CDHIes) showing the maintenance/rebuild of a U-2 that is performed every 4700 flight hours. I'm curious how often they do that? How many hours will a U-2 log in a year?
The Deuce is one of the most tasked ISR (Intel, Surveillance, Recon) assets because of its versatility and is critical for TST (Time Sensitive Targeting.)
One of its primary advantages is that it can loiter for a long time over a target, all the while collecting a wide range of intel that can be shared in real-time with warfighters. A TACP team can get live video and voice from a Deuce that is 70k' overhead. This range of intel is essential for target deconfliction and is mandatory for High Value Targeting (HVT) operations.
Through the USAF Air Battle Management system a U2 can deliver real time intel to warfighters on the ground and in the air as well as decision-makers at the National Command Authority level. Trigger pullers in Helmand get immediate clearance to pull the trigger. The Deuce has done more to eliminate the fog of war than any other platform in history.
As for how often it goes through Depot Level Maintenance it is best to say that it is a lot more frequently and more thoroughly than the Southwest Seven Three you strap into to go see Shamu at Sea World.
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Never good to see this kind of chicanery especially in our military. Were you aware of any of this? I know you weren't navy...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/01/27/the-admiral-in-charge-of-navy-intelligence-has-not-been-allowed-to-see-military-secrets-for-years/
I understand we get all walks of life, good and bad
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The activities of Military personnel never change.
"The streets present a lively and animated appearance, occasioned chiefly by the conviviality of the military. It is truly delightful to a philanthropic mind to see these gallant men staggering along under the influence of an overflow, both of animal and ardent spirits..... Nothing( adds Mr. Pickwick) can exceed their good humor. it was but a day before that one of them had been most grossly insulted in the house of a publican. The barmaid had positively refused to draw him any more liquor; in return for which he had ( merely in playfulness) drawn his bayonet and wounded the girl in the shoulder. And yet this fine fellow was the very first to go down to the house the next morning and express his readiness to overlook the matter and forget what occurred'
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/02/22/legendary-10-warthog-wins-another-fight-vs-budget-ax.html?intcmp=hpbt3
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Was down in Tucson last week...Took the boy (age 7) to the Air Museum down there, right near the airport/Davis-Monthan AFB. While we were there, the mighty 'Hogs were flying.
He told me that he liked the A-10 better than the F-16, even though his great-grandpa was a mechanic on the F-16s in the SD-ANG.
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Was down in Tucson last week...Took the boy (age 7) to the Air Museum down there, right near the airport/Davis-Monthan AFB. While we were there, the mighty 'Hogs were flying.
He told me that he liked the A-10 better than the F-16, even though his great-grandpa was a mechanic on the F-16s in the SD-ANG.
Pima Air Museum is very cool.
I went through the Warthog RTU at D-M. Learned that carne seca is best eaten on Congress Street...
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I took almost a year out a few years ago to work with an NGO relief agency. One of my primary duties was to fly supplies around in these high-winged Otters that are ubiquitous in that part of the world because of their STOL capabilities.
One of them went down on a route I flew numerous times. Flying in and out of Jomsom is some of the most rugged terrain anywhere.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/25/asia/nepal-plane-crash/index.html
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/02/22/legendary-10-warthog-wins-another-fight-vs-budget-ax.html?intcmp=hpbt3
As well they should. More Hajis introduced to virgins than any other weapon system since the word "infidel" was invented.
F#ck those guys. Really.
https://www.youtube.com/v/pp_KUc3suWE
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As well they should. More Hajis introduced to virgins than any other weapon system since the word "infidel" was invented.
F#ck those guys. Really.
https://www.youtube.com/v/pp_KUc3suWE
Looks like Ahkmed is crawling away on all fours twos there at 1:28
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Looks like Ahkmed is crawling away on all fours twos there at 1:28
He wasn't half the man he was before he met Mr Warthog!
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Uh oh.... A-10's pappy is coming out to play.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/09/why-is-america-using-these-antique-planes-to-fight-isis.html
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Father of A10 Warthog honored at Arlington.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/22/politics/a-10-avery-kay-funeral-flyby/index.html
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Down in lake havasu city, golfing on a course just up the lake on the Colorado river, twice, there was a big jet(i.e. Air Force one big) flanked by 3 let's say f-16's. One off each wing, then the third was off the left wing a little further removed. The first time I saw it, I thought, oh-oh, looks like an escort for whatever reason. Then I saw it a 2nd time and I'm thinking this was an exercise.
Keefe, if you're out there, do they run these exercises out here? Couldn't imagine if I were a passenger looking out my window at the pretty views seeing an f-16 pilot giving me the high sign
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Down in lake havasu city, golfing on a course just up the lake on the Colorado river, twice, there was a big jet(i.e. Air Force one big) flanked by 3 let's say f-16's. One off each wing, then the third was off the left wing a little further removed. The first time I saw it, I thought, oh-oh, looks like an escort for whatever reason. Then I saw it a 2nd time and I'm thinking this was an exercise.
Keefe, if you're out there, do they run these exercises out here? Couldn't imagine if I were a passenger looking out my window at the pretty views seeing an f-16 pilot giving me the high sign
Charlie: So, lieutenant, where exactly were you?
Keefe: Well, we...
Goose: Thank you.
Keefe: Started up on a 6, when he pulled from the clouds, and then I moved in above him.
Charlie: Well, if you were directly above him, how could you see him?
Keefe: Because I was inverted.
Iceman: [coughs whilst saying] Bullcrap.
Goose: No, he was man. It was a really great move. He was inverted.
Charlie: You were in a 4g inverted dive with a MiG28?
Keefe: Yes, ma'am.
Charlie: At what range?
Keefe: Um, about two meters.
Goose: It was actually about one and a half I think. It was one and a half. I've got a great Polaroid of it, and he's right there, must be one and a half.
Keefe: Was a nice picture.
Goose: Thanks.
Charlie: Eh, lieutenant, what were you doing there?
Goose: Communicating.
Keefe: Communicating. Keeping up foreign relations. You know, giving him the bird!
Goose: [Charlie looks puzzled, so Goose clarifies] You know, the finger
Charlie: Yes, I know the finger, Goose.
Goose: I-I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that, I'm sorry. Excuse me.
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Charlie: So, lieutenant, where exactly were you?
Keefe: Well, we...
Goose: Thank you.
Keefe: Started up on a 6, when he pulled from the clouds, and then I moved in above him.
Charlie: Well, if you were directly above him, how could you see him?
Keefe: Because I was inverted.
Iceman: [coughs whilst saying] Bullcrap.
Goose: No, he was man. It was a really great move. He was inverted.
Charlie: You were in a 4g inverted dive with a MiG28?
Keefe: Yes, ma'am.
Charlie: At what range?
Keefe: Um, about two meters.
Goose: It was actually about one and a half I think. It was one and a half. I've got a great Polaroid of it, and he's right there, must be one and a half.
Keefe: Was a nice picture.
Goose: Thanks.
Charlie: Eh, lieutenant, what were you doing there?
Goose: Communicating.
Keefe: Communicating. Keeping up foreign relations. You know, giving him the bird!
Goose: [Charlie looks puzzled, so Goose clarifies] You know, the finger
Charlie: Yes, I know the finger, Goose.
Goose: I-I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that, I'm sorry. Excuse me.
(http://smellslikescreenspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/topgun2.jpg)
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Down in lake havasu city, golfing on a course just up the lake on the Colorado river, twice, there was a big jet(i.e. Air Force one big) flanked by 3 let's say f-16's. One off each wing, then the third was off the left wing a little further removed. The first time I saw it, I thought, oh-oh, looks like an escort for whatever reason. Then I saw it a 2nd time and I'm thinking this was an exercise.
Keefe, if you're out there, do they run these exercises out here? Couldn't imagine if I were a passenger looking out my window at the pretty views seeing an f-16 pilot giving me the high sign
It could have been any of a number of things. It was likely related to a Red Flag out of Nellis but it could have been some sort of goodwill gig like the fly-bys we do at big public events or ceremonies.
Fact is, we no longer fly bomber escort as we did in WWII as there is not a terminal air threat against our strike packages.
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This story popped up today. I know PJ - helluva fighter pilot.
How he got this bird back is a miracle.
http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-one-of-the-baddest-a-10-pilots-ever-land-after-being-hit-by-a-missile-2016-4
https://www.youtube.com/v/o7JM82fa5ZY
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what a beast!! and they(the nonmilitary) wanted to scrap this plane??
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what a beast!! and they(the nonmilitary) wanted to scrap this plane??
Yea. Ask vogue why. He knows everything about the military.
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http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/28/politics/air-force-f-35-vs-a-10-showdown/index.html
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You might like this Keefe
http://www.c-span.org/video/?16771-1/a10-fighter-pilots-persian-gulf-war
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Also this....you might recognize the first man in video #1.
https://www.youtube.com/v/UQB4W8C0rZI
https://www.youtube.com/v/8kssZua8MVc
https://www.youtube.com/v/nh2Gnxa_fTw
https://www.youtube.com/v/ojPnp2hwqaE
https://www.youtube.com/v/BhGIglwmFB8
https://www.youtube.com/v/TS7O14nzrzE
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Also this....you might recognize the first man in video #1.
That's Col Avery Kay
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That's Col Avery Kay
Recently passed away
http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2016/03/21/a10-warthog-thunderbold-father-us-air-force-colonel-col-avery-kay-arlington-cemetery-ar-origwx.cnn/video/playlists/military-technology/
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http://www.tactical-life.com/news/avery-kay-a-10-warthog/
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https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2015/08/19/the-a-10-had-a-very-peculiar-birth/
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had to dig deep to revitalize the "this one is for keefe" topic bringing some credibility back to scoop-
yo keefe-what's the word on the "machete"? they're saying it could replace the iconic warthog-just askin the man...what up?
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-machete-the-super-plane-could-replace-the-10-warthog-or-19431
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had to dig deep to revitalize the "this one is for keefe" topic bringing some credibility back to scoop-
yo keefe-what's the word on the "machete"? they're saying it could replace the iconic warthog-just askin the man...what up?
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-machete-the-super-plane-could-replace-the-10-warthog-or-19431
This article lost me at the sentence that had "Warthog" and "overkill" in it.
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Warthog Apologist or Dayton Fan?
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Warthog Apologist or Dayton Fan?
Lol! Definitely a Dayton fan.
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Lol! Definitely a Dayton fan.
See, that's what I thought at first, but it's a Prius, not a Cavalier. Which got me thinking, who is more likely to drive a Prius, keefe or a Dayton fan. That's why this one really has me stumped.
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See, that's what I thought at first, but it's a Prius, not a Cavalier. Which got me thinking, who is more likely to drive a Prius, keefe or a Dayton fan. That's why this one really has me stumped.
Dayton fan is more likely to firebomb a Prius than be able to afford one, whereas Keefe lives in the PNW where they love themselves some Priuses
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTuitfQLtK4cjui6vuH4Xtp8jPcG5-VagaalHeqmqxDvJ4Aq4t1NQ)
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Dayton fan is more likely to firebomb a Prius than be able to afford one, whereas Keefe lives in the PNW where they love themselves some Priuses
don't know if this is auto-correct in pnw or "testing the waters" on craig's