Eisenhower-Era Planes Still Defending U.S.

Newsmax ^ | April 3, 2007 | Dave Eberhart

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Congress seems to corrupt nearly everything it touches...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PING!

My 900th thread posted and counting...

[ikka]

The heroic Duricy was a victim of what military experts call the "weapon systems procurement holidays of the 1990s" – when the U.S. government took advantage of the end of the Cold War, called it a "peace dividend" and didn't appropriate the necessary funds to modernize its aging fleet of military planes.

A/K/A as the Clinton Reign of Error ...

[P-40]

experts call the "weapon systems procurement holidays of the 1990s"

Guess we could also call it the Prelude to 9/11.

[EternalVigilance]

The heroic Duricy was a victim of what military experts call the "weapon systems procurement holidays of the 1990s" – when the U.S. government took advantage of the end of the Cold War, called it a "peace dividend" and didn't appropriate the necessary funds to modernize its aging fleet of military planes.

AKA "the Clinton Legacy."

[3D-JOY]

Interesting reading. Too bad it is too much for the average “JOE” to understand and take the time to read.

Short and sweet BITS is all that can be read.

Even to me it becomes another overwhelming situation. What can one person do? Sit and worry?

[DustyMoment]

Eisenhower-Era Planes Still Defending U.S.

Yeah, that's what happens when leftist appeasement-oriented surrender monkeys keep cutting the defense budget. Apparently, they didn't get the memo - it takes a strong offense to create a strong defense.

Their efforts to undercut the War in Iraq is Part II of their strategery. Part I was to allow the US military weapons systems to age and become decrepit. Part II is to focus on trying to force our military to capitulate a war they haven't lost . . . . . . . . YET!!!

[Eagle Eye]

OMG the M-2 .50 cal is nearly 90 years old !!!

[SIDENET]

OMG the M-2 .50 cal is nearly 90 years old !!!

Yes, but it doesn't have to take off and land.

[P-40]

they didn't get the memo

I sure got it on 9/11 when I was wondering where all the attack craft were and why they had not left the alert sites. I didn't know just how few alert sites and attack craft were left.

[Lokibob]

The B-52 is still the workhorse of the bomber fleet. The B-1 is a beautiful airplane, looks like it is flying 600 MPH while on the ground. BUT, it was designed to drop nukes.. Has a limited capacity in a non-nuke war. The B-2 is ugly (IMHO), stealthly and slow, but has the range if not the lifting capacity of the Buff.

C-130... I had the privelidge of being in a C-130 the day the J model was type certified, and am here to tell you that it is a beautiful cargo plane. So the design is 30 years old, they are still coming off the assembly line. Not all missions need a C-5 capacity.

KC-135, works well for almost all of the fleet.

Bottom line, (IMHO) Why do we need to reinvent the wheel. Buy more of the same design and call the fleet upgraded. Why go thru the R&D cycle, and perhaps get an inferior product (whitness the Osprey fiasco).

.....Bob

[Eagle Eye]

And the Abrams M-1 is 1960’s technology. It flies, or seems to.

But those C-130’s are remarkable aircraft as are the B-52’s. Much more manuverable than one might think.

OIF is definately putting a strain on everything.

[2111USMC]

The other side of the coin is that for Buffs to be flying at 45 years old would indicate a good design and very capable maintenance personnel.

[P-40]

Why do we need to reinvent the wheel.

This article sounds more like it is saying the planes are just old, not that the designs are old.

[OldArmy52]

Solution to aging military aircraft problem:

Pass law saying that average age of all aircraft used by any politician must be same as that of military aircraft.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Everything associated with the Clintons turns to, well...you know.

[rmlew]

We could purchase some block 60 F-16s now and some new F-15s.
However, what we really need in another 100 Billion in the Defense Budget.

[GitmoSailor]

Lets build more B-52’s.!!!!!!....

[PAR35]

All these planes are youngsters, compared to the oldest ship in commission in the U.S. Navy. http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/

[GreyFriar]

“I’m flying my grandfather’s airplane” said the young pilot!