RQ-4 Global Hawk

[Ram]

The "wild weasel" Viper even today still isn't as capable as the F-4G was...

Ha. Ok. Whatever you say, buddy.

[pcola]

On August 23, 2016 at 2:14 PM, WayUp said:

I'm going to start this discussion with please stfu unless you know what you are talking about. Its asshats like you that make our community look like a bunch of idiots who dont know wtf we are doing. Educate yourself before coming onto a forum where our peers talk and start blabbering about shit you barely understand.

Oh good god, man.  I was going to let this die rather than participate in a classic baseops dick-measuring contest, but the irony here is just too rich.  You lecture your homie about not spouting off about that which he knows nothing of, but then you reply to Moose's very valid points with a naive combination of ignorance and NG propagandist talking points.

On September 6, 2016 at 7:15 AM, WayUp said:

I partially agree. Yes in extenuating circumstances to include hurricanes and ...well i guess its a hurricane hunter now, but to include shitty WX, most jets wont be flying, not just the GH. This is queepy petty shit and i get your point. I just wanted to rebuttal this cause Pilot. You are right, there are a few instances that would be ISR specific that would remove our ability to aid in the war. ..I cant argue with this. Its legit. But the U-2 wouldn't be able to operate in all of those cases stated above either. Satcom jamming? Iads? The U-2 plan on using carrier pigeons to send its collect back? You guys got some black magic to get your stuff somewhere? Your pilots ready to go gary powers on those IADS? Obvious sarcasm but you get the point.

Once again, you have no clue as to the capes of the U-2.  On 4 U2 deployments, I personally have never wx cancelled a U2 mission and can count on one hand the missions that I saw wx cancel.  I've climbed and descended through ice, lots of it.  I've dodged TS by looking out of the window.  I've landed in 1/4 mile vis, mobiled sorties that landed with lightening and TS very close to the field, and mobiled and flown missions which landed in excess of our crosswind limit.  The U2 is extremely flexible WRT weather.  On station and enroute, we are ALWAYS above it.  Can you claim the same things?  Not queep unless you are ignorant or just touting the party line. WRT threats, yes, we have capes to operate in those denied environments, jamming and kinetic.  Your lack of knowledge here is glaring, but this forum is not the place to rectify that.  Grab iowa and go to the vault.

On September 6, 2016 at 7:15 AM, WayUp said:

Correct, the mentality of being separated from the jet, primarily a global hawk, does cause some lack of SA and thoughtfulness to the actual mission. This is a mentality born from growing the community with pissed off ALFA tour folks that just want to go back flying or get out. This is and has passed. The community is now being led by people that actually want to be there and want to push the airframe. As far as caring about getting shot down, do U-2 pilots care about getting shot down? Absolutely, okay then..lets back you up a bit away from your target so we can keep you safe but still try to collect. Global Hawk though? Lets slide them a bit closer cause, we have a pack of 12 back home and we really want to get the good collect.     This seems dumb but if you know ISR then you know distance matters in most cases.

Sure, all gobble drivers are now stoked to be there.  Wait, let me find my BS flag...

I can't even believe that you are persisting with this pack of 12 bullshit.  As Moose already pointed out, it's not your POS jet that anybody cares about, its the freaking billion dollar sensor.  We don't have 12 packs of those.

And yes, distance matters.  Especially vertical distance.  How high can you guys carry the payload again?

On September 6, 2016 at 7:15 AM, WayUp said:

I am absolutely referring to operational missions. More than once we've had to sit down and plan nonstop rotating ops to cover the U-2's issues for some reason or another this past year. This hasn't happened the other way around....at all.. This isn't something i could just make up for poking fun at you guys for the whole HAISR frat club, its happened, more than once. And if you try to defend this by saying the U-2 has picked up the GH's collect sometimes mid mission, that doesn't show anything other than simply retasking an asset. This does not show any capabilities. ....There have been some Ex that we have not been able to perform at due to Wx. That would be us and the U-2 and literally every airplane in the inventory. We're all susceptible to shitty weather so i don't really see any substance to the foundation of your argument there against the Global Hawk in favor of the U-2.

Clueless again.  You need to open up your aperture beyond mx/wx limitations.  Perhaps the U2 wasn't tasked to cover GH shortages because we're already maxed and operating at near 100% rates.  Truth.  Also, perhaps there have been instances where the CCDR needed an asset in the air RIGHT FUCKING NOW and the GH never entered the conversation because it's not even remotely possible.  But guess who can surge, waive shit, plop a driver in the jet and get on station FAST.  Ask your intel folks where/when this situation might be applicable.  Or ask any U2 driver.

On September 6, 2016 at 7:15 AM, WayUp said:

I agree the GH will never be able to replicate what the U-2 can do. It will however replace the U-2 in ISR. I think you possibly misunderstand my stance here. I am not a U-2 hater in any way. The GH isn't here to replace shit. Its to add an extra flavor to the mix. But the writing's on the wall that the U-2 is leaving and the GH will be retrofitted to carry its sensors(or at least some of them). Its already in testing and a quick google search tells you all about it. Defensive systems? U-2 - 1 GH - 0. As far as the sensor suite, being more robust due to the engine, yea your right it does have a large loud pretty awesome engine that can give some good electricity. The global hawk isn't really lacking much here. Yes I agree that the U-2 engine is bigger but the GH isn't failing to do anything due its engine or power supply...Not yet at least. You may have a solid argument there but that can be remedied by some modifications to the engine or generators and its ready to roll.

Finally, we agree on something.  If indeed the GH were merely complimentary to the U2 or its ultimate replacement, that would be fantastic.  But for some reason the boneheads making the rules have decided it should be either/or.  And therein lies the problem with the GH.  And of it were so simple to modify the GH to carry U2 sensors, carry them higher, and generate the power (electricity) required for the next gen, then trust me, NG would have done it long ago.  The problem is that it is not a simple remedy, and may in fact prove impossible.  Which could leave us with a subpar platform replacing a more capable (and cheaper) platform for the sake of politics.  I don't care what you fly, that is a fucking fail.

 

Edited September 7, 2016 by pcola
acronymology

[Majestik Møøse]

Well pcola sure top-roped the shit out of that. WayUp, at the risk of piling-on, I'll just throw out there that your arguments lack validity. I'm not going to line-by-line them, you lost me at "carrier pigeon." You're projecting the GH's limitations onto the U-2, and you don't really understand the potential strengths of either.

[sqwatch]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WTFAF]

The "wild weasel" Viper even today still isn't as capable as the F-4G was...

Now you've done it. I guess I'm just going to have to enjoy that scotch all by myself in your final throes.

[WTFAF]

But seriously, when did NG become a clown shoe factory?

[Spoo]

14 hours ago, pcola said:

Also, perhaps there have been instances where the COCOM needed...

If you're referring to the Geographic Combatant Command(er), the proper acronym is GCC. COCOM references command authority, similar to TACON, ADCON, OPCON, etc...

Get your shit straight.

[pcola]

21 minutes ago, Spoo said:

If you're referring to the Geographic Combatant Command(er), the proper acronym is GCC. COCOM references command authority, similar to TACON, ADCON, OPCON, etc...

Get your shit straight.

Fixed.   CCDR IAW JP 1-02.  I actually suspected that I might be using the wrong acronym there, but didn't give a shit last night when I typed that after 4 drinks.  Thanks for the call out. 

[HuggyU2]

RQ-4 down, enroute from EDW to BAB. Crash site is near Mt Whitney (highest point in CONUS).  

No ejection attempt was made, are there are no survivors at the crash site.  

https://fox40.com/2017/06/21/spy-plane-on-routine-flight-to-beale-air-force-base-crashes-near-mt-whitney/

ども ありがと

 

Edited June 22, 2017 by HuggyU2

[Orbit]

close enough

 

[ThreeHoler]

RQ-4 down, enroute from EDW to BAB. Crash site is near Mt Whitney (highest point in CONUS).  
No ejection attempt was made, are there are no survivors at the crash site.  
https://fox40.com/2017/06/21/spy-plane-on-routine-flight-to-beale-air-force-base-crashes-near-mt-whitney/
ども ありがと
 

Him him!

[FourFans]

21 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

RQ-4 down, enroute from EDW to BAB. Crash site is near Mt Whitney (highest point in CONUS).

No ejection attempt was made, are there are no survivors at the crash site.

https://fox40.com/2017/06/21/spy-plane-on-routine-flight-to-beale-air-force-base-crashes-near-mt-whitney/

ども ありがと

 

An RQ-4 has been dispatched to continue the search for survivors.

[HuggyU2]

The last RQ-4 Global Hawk left Beale recently.  

[HuggyU2]

I was unaware there were only nine Block 40 airframes. 
https://breakingdefense.com/2022/07/exclusive-air-forces-rq-4-global-hawk-drones-headed-for-the-boneyard-in-fy27/

[Spoo]

Huggy, your ignorance is troubling. Globally, 14x Block 40 platforms are in operation; NATO AGS operates five far superior RQ-4D "Phoenix" aircraft providing timely, actionable intelligence to Alliance decision-makers.  

[ClearedHot]

32 minutes ago, Spoo said:

Huggy, your ignorance is troubling. Globally, 14x Block 40 platforms are in operation; NATO AGS operates five far superior RQ-4D "Phoenix" aircraft providing timely, actionable intelligence to Alliance decision-makers.  

First the HUD now this, I think we need to put Huggy on probation.

[Spoo]

I think we both know the problem.

https://www.livescience.com/17780-mental-sharpness-declines-middle-age.html

[HuggyU2]

[Swizzle]

4 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

A SFS/CC might recommend saying, 'I lack understanding of a great many things!'