Clark Griswold

I know they are using the UPAZ system for the HDU but even the Russian probes are the same as the NATO probes or are supposed to be... only refuelled Brit Tornados and Aussie F/A-18's probe and drogue foreign receivers so I can't speak from experience on it... But they (the IAF) are buying the A-330 MRTT and having a dedicated tanker sometimes transport is what they want... Looks like they are back on schedule or ready to deliver now, this news update doesn't specify IOC but it is the second production example being delivered this year... Not an Airbus salesman but the idea of combining medium airlift with tanker capability into one aircraft (except for boom AR) is a pretty good one...

Glad they bought American but suprised they didn't go with the A400M as it can dual role for airlift or probe & drogue AR

Cut in-residence slots by 90% for ASBC, SOC, & ACSC to pay for a light aircraft ACE program, with my seconds of thought and calculation to this I'm sure that will pay for it... My votes... an Extra 300 & Diamond 42 program for aero, formation, basic tactics & cross-country that might actually involve mission planning and landing somewhere other than OTBH, OKAN, OAIX or UAFM...

Confirmation...

Gotcha - Super T it is...

Is the OV-10X still in the running if this program actually ever happens?

All true (financial constraint) at the time and our financial situation is so much better now than the late 90's we're going to be able to afford all kinds of new aircraft... still it would have been nice to not just feed Lockheed Martin the entrie contract but all in the past now...

Fair enough. didn't read the test pilots' positive comments but will readily admit I don't think that the eggs in one baskest idea of the JSF is a good idea, not that it matters, and that having an alternative 5th gen light strike fighter would at least lower risk... But to balance everything out, Forbes is positive on it here

More good news about the greatest defense accquistion in history... From Time... and the Project on Government Oversight...

Copy all and agree on probably not seeing the AF ax either... sequester is going to suck but probably not going to kill completely any airplanes (hopefully) as too many jobs i.e. votes are attached to the bases and airplanes

Not sure if anyone else see this as "the problem" but I see this as where the problem (leadership with no conern for the mission or common sense) starts, it is that we pre-select our leaders WAY too early in their careers and put them on the enivatble path to command before we know what we've got... been both AD and now Guard and the Guard is by no means perfect but they seem to observe their folks several years prior to picking who will eventually be in charge and from my perspective have a much better filter for stopping DB's from getting command... There are other problems but that to me seems where they all start, you don't know who you've got but you start giving them min time upgrades, school selects, cross-flow programs, etc.... and you may have the right guy but may not but you have already invested heavily in them as a "leader" and then the AF just accepts what it has got....

Not trying to pit the Buff against the Bone but why isn't the Buff gettting the ax? The B-1 seems more survivalble and capable with the sniper upgrade...

Not a reason why we can't grow better officers but an example of the genius currently at work in the USAF... https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2013/02/air-force-maxwell-plan-publish-pics-uniform-violators-nixed-021013w/

Yep...

Ouch...

Thanks for link, I was about 99.69% sure that it was a very interesting day for that C-5 and crew but just wondered if they had any kind of protection against this (or other FOD during t/o & landing) since they can operate from austere locations... glad it worked out ok...

Saw this video origially on military.com and was wondering if a C-5 guy knew if this plane was damaged from this amphibious takeoff? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUx5wTV4XVk

But what if this guy is flying? Those 11 pounds (plus 50) just came back...

All true but it is not flying (only a demonstrator not a full up production example) and a bisexual AR capability is yet another feature (read cost and delay) to be added... after the political mud fight of the F-35 I don't think any Canadian politician is looking to stick their neck out for another high risk defense accquistion... besides in the F-XIII fighter competition for their next fighter, the SK's are only looking at an improved F-15K with an AESA radar because of delays in the conformal weapons bay and canted fins... delays delays delays... if Boeing would give a good deal on keeping the legacy CF-18's flying until it is ready then maybe... but again: cost, availabity & compatibility with what you already have are going to drive this, so once again the SuperHornet is the best choice overall...

Nice concept but not developed yet and would take some time to get done, the report referenced delays as one of the main factors in not recommending the F-35, along with price and lifetime cost of operation...probably wind up being a bit pricey after unexpected problems are encountered and fixed along with extra time.. 100 million (projected) for an SE vs 67 million for a SuperHornet. I think they are looking for 4+ Gen capability with the lower risk of several years of operations already... so the SuperHornet or Eurofighter... just my $.02 I think the SuperHornet is what it will it be, go with what you know..

Probably so, that or Eurofighter will make a strong push Also, more information on this decision than any normal person would ever care to know... https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/537970-kpmg-report-f-35-life-cycle-cost-framework.html

Hell yes!!!!!! No wait, reason just kicked back in...

The inevitable happened. https://www.theglobea...6260601/Report/ Question is now will this cause other marginal participants (Denmark, Norway, Israel, etc..) in the program to cut bait and run?

Not sayin' that... just commenting on a break in preferences with the last fighters the RCAF has had...