Clark Griswold

Agree with most of your points but to answer your rhetorical question - is that worth keeping up another airframe? Yes. Because to address another comment you made, schedulers should not be pairing the new CP with the new AC but they do. Someone on that dynamic duo has to be in charge and ultimately capable of handing the mission, crew and jet. Experience built at every level in training via qualified instructors, quality equipment, enough time and a robust syllabus and standards has to be it. There is no substitution for it. I realize the AF is in a crunch and things can and do change but don't forget why we had / have an advanced training program, because some training is more advanced than what the basic trainer can provide and a simulator only Phase 3 is not advanced training. It's bullshit and they know it.

Good capability additions to be sure if only money grew on trees that were planted on every AF base but if there were to be a US mil operator for this the USMC would likely be it. Too expensive for the Coasties and not enough assigned mission(s) requiring this capability for the AF to invest in a fleet of 30 to 50 aircraft, the Marines, maybe as they get back to their Naval / Amphibious roots with the direction the Commandant is taking them, necessary to prepare for Pacific shenanigans. Thinking about the article (Bring Back the Seaplane from WOR), the problem with the current feasible model (Shinmaywa US-2) for the US (maybe the Aussies too) for military amphibious airlift is the lack of a ramp for parallelized cargo or vehicle delivery to austere locations. Don't see that feature on the Chinese AG600 either. People and their personal gear to a remote distant island(s) would be no problem, but something that could really have an appreciable effect on the fight like a small SAM battery or other system/cargo, don't see how it would carry and deliver it without an unacceptable amount of ass pain. We still need a seaplane though 😉

I can't believe AMC isn't telling AETC to shove this idea where the sun don't shine...

No way this would get screwed up, not a chance... On a semi-serious note I will say I see a seaplane as a legitimate requirement solver (long range maritime logistics) but just one that would never get high enough in the list of 69,000 to do's to get funding. Niche capability and not a cheap one (assuming we would buy the Japanese US-2) so no seaplane for you... Still love'em and always remember the wisdom of Turgidson, we can not allow an *INSERT WEAPON NAME HERE* gap to exist!

Possibly (as to the long technical, tactics and operational know how) to make this work so let's crawl to the first stages so we can walk then run to the second and third. This manned/unmanned team is not just for the Title Fight over the Taiwan Straits but at all levels of ops/combat and not only Air Dominance. Using a new new build 4+ gen to work out the kinks prior to modifying the 5th gen systems to add this capability (likely expensive) seems to manage risk and mitigate future costs. Modifying the Bone for at least a demo/experiment might be more feasible for the Bobs to approve and fund this vice new iron. Possibly (redundant use noted) but AI may make everyone obsolete, I'm not betting that's gonna happen tomorrow so I'll still advocate for a second aviator directing the AI wingmen to which mission or task to perform then let the AI figure out the best way to do that specific job till otherwise re-tasked.

And cocaine is a helluva drug but go pills aren’t the Limitless pill that make you unstoppable Yes but with new toys requiring minding during the fight and fighting an opponent likely 69 times more capable than the last enemy we fought who had capabilities to oppose us and pose a realistic threat(s) Give the 4+ gens LO loyal wingmen controlled by the WSOa while the pilots fly the Eagles as 4+ gens, each crew in each Eagle is effectively now a mixed force two ship leveraging the relative strengths of each platform Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But, but the metric is green now! That means better right? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Somewhat counter intuitive I admit but if this platform takes on a quarterback role, not necessarily but just envisioning it to, I think flying & fighting the platform itself, directing the wingmen, keeping the full tactical picture and defending the HVAAs, again assuming it would be DCA tasked as LOs went forward, would be a lot for anyone not to mention the comm piece.

Yeah but... the second seat is someone to share the load and manage the fatigue of long missions strapped into the seat. Considering the distances of the Pacific and potentially long range missions to the Arctic, the additional cognitive load of unmanned loyal wingmen management, etc... another cranium would be useful IMO.

But we didn’t buy it, now 20 years on we have a need IMO for this but starting / buying another 5th gen is a bridge too far, a capable 4+ gen is possible Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Navy is looking at longer range fighters, take a cue AF and build a modern escort fighter Navy Quietly Starts Development of Next-Generation Carrier Fighter; Plans Call for Manned, Long-Range Aircraft From the article: Compared to the F-35’s 700 nautical miles of combat radius, Clark said his “impression” is that the Navy hopes to build a new fighter with a radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles. Build a modified hybrid of the Silent / EX Eagle with an additional section in the fuselage to hold 3 AIM-260s and an additional 750 gallons Too expensive to start another 5th gen program, forgo the LO and give it every other advantage you can.

That's a legit point but the greater threat could be creating a cohort of weak pilots / officers who in other times of less desperation would have been more thoroughly tested and filtered, likely eliminating some. Not having enough pilots is a problem, having a potentially weak cohort of pilots / officers is likely a worse problem. If the GOs believe this is just about having meat in the seats then they just need to implement a Warrant Officer program for some X percentage of the rated force in the AF and get it over with.

Thanks - how is there not a shit storm brewing in the communities where most of these studs will wind up if this fully implemented? Contract it out if you have to but airtime is invaluable Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Could not tell from the article when Vance goes to the T-1 flying lite syllabus, if you’ve got buds there or PA at Vance would know Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Concur - the spiral tightens just a bit more Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don’t like https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/08/18/air-force-cut-use-of-jayhawk-trainer-rely-more-simulators.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2008.19.20&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Copy - just my thoughts to the naysayers As to the EX itself, my only critique is IMO its role is the long range fighter in our portfolio of platforms and we should accentuate that further By pushing it to be a bit bigger with more fuel we get a 4+ gen that taxes less on AR resources and provides the best platform for roles like DCA, Sensor/Arsenal and Escort. Right now open source says it’s Combat Radius is 1100 NM, push that to 1500 NM If we are truly shifting to deter or fight in areas ruled by the tyranny of distance, we will require some of if not most air assets to have significantly increased operating ranges even considering AR as our enemies know that is critical spot for us Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Possibly - I think it (the EX) depends on whether or not you believe the AF / LM's numbers on the decreasing cost of the F-35 in acquisition, sustainment and operation. I am skeptical but from the cheap seats with only what I have available on the interwebs, I'll have to take Big Blue at its word. To me, the Defense One seemed to have a blindspot in its critique of a new build 4+ gen fighter in that seemed to consider / critique it as a stand alone MWS and not see it as part of a team of platforms with specific roles and some overlapping duties on Night 1 and beyond in a peer on peer conflict. Same for other operations, like deterrence, patrol & prescence missions, etc... Yeah, an S-400 or other site is going to see it from a distance and until the IADS / A2AD system is destroyed or degraded, that's an issue but during that Phase of the campaign it would likely be doing DCA for the HVAAs which enabled us to use more LO platforms for what they were intended for. That's just an example of the concept, compliment the LO platforms where even they could use assistance or relief from taskings where their unique characteristics are overkill or not necessary.

Defense One is not too keen on the new model Eagle https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2020/08/nine-reasons-congress-should-nix-air-forces-f-15ex-purchase/167603/

Yup but one company with their money has already done most of the homework

Referencing Alman's WOR article linked above and his recommendations in it: Moving forward, I recommend that the Department of Defense consider three specific actions. First, establish a joint-service exchange program with Japan’s US-2 seaplane squadron to build a small cadre of personnel who understand seaplane operations, their benefits, and their limitations (the author would be happy to volunteer for such a program). Second, include seaplanes in applicable wargames, analyses, and experimentation to study their use cases and efficacy. Third, provide limited funding to relevant individuals and organizations to examine the seaplane design space, determine capabilities given current technology, and develop realistic concepts for ongoing wargames and analyses. Has anyone planned or participated in any exercises or demos with the Japanese US-2?

Gen Turgidson was right, we can’t let a missile, mineshaft or seaplane gap to exist Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Iran boards a tanker in the straits: https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-08-13/iranian-forces-board-tanker-in-the-strait-of-hormuz

Chinese seaplane is moving along and testing and we don't have one, I call bullshit. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a33434618/ag-600-seaplane-first-water-flight/

She blew him away with her performance Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk