Clark Griswold

Read Bacevich before but do not actively follow and have read several MLK speeches/letters, not claiming in anyway to be an authority on either men or their work but don't see the problem (perhaps I'm assuming you think I was being passive/aggressive/asshole-ish) in posting it as an example of the next great frontier likely to come from the radicalized left. Not saying Bacevich is the vanguard of that but he is adding his voice to a chorus I don't think he fully appreciates what they are really singing... His wiki is worth a read and I know who he is, not a career academic who never did anything other than pontificate about the theoretical, never sacrificed anything and petulantly judgmental of others who have fought, lost and sacrificed for others. I respect him but disagree with him. Thoughts on the argument(s) laid out in the piece? In reference to MLK's original point on the trifecta of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism being sins the USA is uniquely guilty of and to be expunged if we are to fulfill our destiny? That these are interconnected cultural pathological tendencies that are we suffer unduly more than others from? Quite simply no,. He is confusing national policies with the millions of choices of individuals on what they wish to do with their wealth, doesn't like the fact that most people are not interested in spending an inordinate amount of money on others and chooses to chide them for it in a sly manner by impugning their nation/culture/country is uniquely worse than others, despite about a metric shit of ton of reality to the contrary. Lecturing others on why they should spend their money on others and deny themselves the fruits of their labor, beyond a reasonable point, is ridiculous. It is not his or King's place to berate Americans that they have a responsibility beyond what their personal conscience dictates. If Bacevich were lecturing all other citizens of the developed and rich world, he might have a leg to stand on in this point, but he doesn't so until I see him publish a world wide call to global charity outreach for all, I and other free Americans will do what we think is right and what is legally required with our money. He confuses historical cultural problems that others now long dead created as the sin of the living now and berates them because they live their lives in recognition of the consequences now of those damn mistakes. Certain communities of people have higher rates of anti-social behavior not because they are biologically predisposed to it but because people long dead now made choices that set them up in a worse starting position when we all start the game of life. I believe we can deliver additional resources to those communities in ways that are not punitive to others and generate the least amount of resentment. Decrying Americans as especially racist because they see with eyes the problems our society has and sometimes make reasonable choices based on that, sometimes they could make better choices than they do and rarely they make wrong choices based on that is unfairly high bar. Again, if he applies this judgement to the other developed and wealthy countries, we can have a discussion but singling us out as uniquely bad is wrong, unacceptable and misses on many levels. Militarism, NOT an American sin and if you like the Liberal International Order, he had better come to peace with the fact that the world is not exactly a safe place. Lots of bad people have military power and are willing to use it in ways we and other nations that ascribe to a liberal enlightenment set of values would not. Say what you will, but we are likely the most benign global hegemonic power to date. It's not that we're so bad, it's that the world is so violent. Thankfully it is getting less so compared to previous decades and we can certainly improve the way we and the other usual suspects deter aggression, secure the global commons, promote trade and communication, etc... but it is necessary if we want to be the ones who set up the game, enforce basic rules and try to keep it fair. From what I've seen of the other contenders for our position, the world better grow a brain and help us keep it together, I doubt very seriously they would like it if the other guy takes the helm. That's it, that's all I got. Bracevich and King have a point, just not an argument to judge ourselves so harshly as they opine. America is good, Western Civilization is awesome, the alternatives to free markets and individual freedom/choice are awful.

Copy that. Consensus , hmmm. Are there red headed stepchildren in ACC (attack) that could join forces with AFSOC advocates to define and get validated a requirement that would require a more robust solution? Is the requirement substantially different than Light Attack necessitating very different platforms than the ones being officially considered for LA?

It's coming...maybe... Defund the Police. And the Military, Too. IDK if the left would actually severely cut the American Military or more accurately the globalist puppetmasters who fund and direct the Left in Western Countries would actually allow them as they require an actual force to confront and deter their other enemies in the world, secure the global commons, etc... No offense to Europe but I don't see a massive increase in military expenditures in European nations along with the will to use that military capability on expeditionary missions to perform the roles that a now diminished US military no longer can do Like Defund the Police, the real meaning is not said. Destroy local police departments so our brownshirts can scare the hell out of regular people and control them but keep the FBI and National Enforcement that are centrally directed so we can control them and use them as we want vice independent police departments. Defund the Military means something else, not sure they know exactly what they mean by that except take that money and use it to build further addicts to the welfare state.

Question as this thread goes on, does Light still apply? I think at the beginning of the thread in 2009 we think Light in terms of cost per flight hour likely in support of large numbers of repetitive sorties from a MOB or FOBs as part of a long-term campaign or operation, ala Iraqi Occupation or Afghanistan Stabilization but has that or that concept moved on from that and Light should be replaced with something else? We will likely be engaging via air strike and SOF teams, VEOs and their fighters well into the future in Africa, Eastern Syria, etc... but are we going to be doing that so often that we still need to think in terms of something that inexpensive to fly that we can fly 6900+ sorties per year per theater in said LA that we need to buy something small and relatively cheap to keep the Bobs at bay? Is it really not light but independent strike capability we are looking for (those advocating for this)? Long legs so no AR, Austere Field capability so not tied to MOBs, Cross cue / connectivity so able FFF independently, Low MX footprint, etc...

Short write up on the video and unit that likely flew that training mission: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34845/this-rare-cockpit-video-of-chinese-fighter-pilots-dogfighting-offers-unique-insights

This is great. Woketards showing their biases when they harass and mistake a man of asian descent who is on their same leftist team: https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/2020/07/15/watch-portland-antifa-accost-asian-man-but-its-not-the-one-they-think/ Fuck your "revolution" you pampered whining self-entitled stupid emotionally malformed little shits.

Chinese BFM

👍

This

Nice, this the video or another? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gP8sqgqEFw

More on Irish fighters and how Air Defense / Interception works now between GB and Ireland: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/ireland-considering-purchase-of-jet-fighters/ Éire go Brách

I know but just your immediate actions in response to vindictive and corrupt persecution Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What bullshit - guy is a man of means, go buy another and tell them to kiss his ass Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Solid points, haven't flown a looong nose aircraft with a way aft cockpit but that makes sense. Cameras would probably fix that, maybe a trailing link gear system to allow relatively flat fares and absorb a bit more energy in main wheel touchdown.

Flare picture would be tricky on this

https://clearedjobs.net/job/instructor-pilot-a-29-super-tuscano-fighter-san-antonio-texas-477430

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Yeah but.... I prattle on this thread as there is a need as I see it for a manned platform that essentially brings the capes of 4th gen pointy nose without the cost or need for AR for a decent vul time - Bronco 2 and the other t-props are good but limited in speed, range and altitude along with potential for growth, except Bronco 2 as it has an adaptive structure for different mission loads This is the A-7 of our time, an unsexy but very innovative no nonsense attack design we are unfortunately resisting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You make your point well and while I don’t agree with everything I agree we (on the right) carry political biases like those in the left Concur on Constitutional fixes required as what we have now no longer functions well enough or is ultimately sustainable, I like the idea of a Brexit party for America - formed for one reason to call a Constitutional Convention or pass Amendments Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah but it can be done, MiG 29 has intake doors and upper intake louvres and Scorpion to my knowledge is not offered with that or other devices that can block/prevent FOD but it’s still in development and the design is inherently flexible Protecting the balls (gigitty) is not a problem as they are retractable and the wing is high with the fat fuselage blocking FOD from impacting the stores during to/land This is the right plane for the mission as it was designed from the gear up for this mission, if the AF will get behind this concept they will get a great aircraft that provides the support a door kicker wants Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure, I have not seen the requirements but that would check with the interest expressed in the Air Tractor Not sure if Scorpion has rough field capes, doubt it but I think there’s room for more than one type of light attack Scorpion geared towards Hybrid Warfare where conventional military capes are used intermixed with SOF & Stability Ops, a likely prop based platform used in austere, SOF focused ops Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope so. I probably came across earlier in the thread the wrong way. I've got zero problem with confronting the legacy of stupid problems made by people that screwed over other people for no good reason and as unfortunately mistakes are built to last, we are still dealing with them. My issue is that I personally did not do them, my skin color does not make me inclined to do them or perpetuate them and I dislike prejudice as much as the next person, evidence my visceral reaction to being told that I am by default in this country unjustly privileged and biased by those who don't know me (not on this forum) but others, a prejudiced attitude and judgement. Race is factor unfortunately in our society but I will echo an idea that Carlson has mentioned several that race as it is being used now is really a stand in for Economic Class and there is an unholy cabal of interests in this country and others that co-opted it, using it to obfuscate and distract what they were doing with their economic policies, decimating the working and middle classes thru irresponsible globalism and "free trade". Off shore manufacturing, import compliant cheaper foreign labor while crowing about systemic racism to distract the youth that their future was being eroded underneath them. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/06/05/tucker_carlson_what_were_watching_is_a_class_war_disguised_as_a_race_war.html Tell the kids only racists would stop people coming to your country while you import a new illegal blue collar working class and a legal white collar class that works for less, will not unionize or complain as they are either illegal or legally only allowed to work at one job at one specific company. No job, no future, heavy student debt, indoctrinated and fed an information diet from a media owned and barking the propaganda of global corporations who are hell bent on paying everyone not in a corner office as little as possible, the secondary effects to the countries where these companies and execs hail from be damned. They are pissed at the wrong white people, not the working class white guy with a Trump bumper sticker but the one with 6.9 billion dollars and will fuck over 50 million of his own countrymen to get another billion. Anyway, it's the 4th, America is imperfect but awesome and I think this has been one of the best threads I've participated in.

Amen Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From the article: it’s time to build a platform that meets the needs of our SOF operators from scratch. New aircraft with the right tools to provide just what the operator needs on the ground, wherever they find themselves. If we don’t do it now, we will have to react aggressively later to meet the need and likely come up with something less capable and more expensive. Buy the Scorpion.

No argument with specific proposals you mentioned and agree that personal connections begin to make an undue contribution to selection at certain ranks and I would even say at Lt to Capt with reference to school / program selections then setting up said O for the fast track to the top. I would qualify the type of meritocracy the AF and America is, an imperfect meritocracy that gets it about 80% right. The 20% remaining is the tradespace where the two sides can and should meet to figure how to shrink, it will never completely go away but that is one of our life tasks to constantly try to shrink it.