Posted on 04/14/2005 5:15:57 PM PDT by Lysandru
CLASHING MILITARY CULTURES
By RALPH PETERS
April 13, 2005 -- LAST month, I sat in the of fice of Col. Jon "Dog" Davis, a veteran Marine aviator. While at war, the Corps' pilots had seen a rise in their accident rate. Davis was determined to do something about it. I wanted to be sympathetic, so I said, "Well, you're flying some very old aircraft."
Davis, a taut, no-nonsense Marine, looked me in the eye and said, "They may be old, but they're good. That's no excuse."
snip
Morally bankrupt, the Air Force is willing to turn a blind eye to the pressing needs of soldiers and Marines at war in order to get more of its $300-million-apiece junk fighters. With newer, far more costly aircraft than the Marines possess, the Air Force pleads that it just can't defend our country without devouring the nation's defense budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
When USMC goes to war, a lot of bad guys die, a few civilians die, and some real-estate gets messed up.
When SAC goes to war, civilisations end.
With all the drone technology we have, the Air Force is going away. But they will fight to the death for survival.
I wiff (as you say) at the offensive capability of this platform because what you are telling me is that in spite of the B2, B1, Air Launched cruise missiles and Naval strike capability from aircraft, surface and subsurface our national OFFENSIVE capability will be crippled if we don't get this thing
I wiff, I do wiff. To paraphrase Monty Python "I wiff in your general direction".
But I don't doubt for a moment that you are a Marine Colonel and that you have always served your country faithfully and well.
All the best
Qatar-6
Nowhere did I suggest our forces were crippled. You have a gift for hyperbole in addition to your other faults. If you don't understand that there are targets for this bird that nothing else can hit, then I would suggest that Google cant teach you everything you know to hang in this discussion.
'Pukin Dog' aint just a handle son. Google that, and you will know where I spent the better parts of my career. Had you spent any time in this area, my handle and tagline would have told you all you need to know.
Okay, now I am really done, so if you respond again you get the honor of the last word in our argument.
G2,
To add to your argument:
1. UAV technology needs a couple of generational jumps forward to be able to go into hostile airspace, accomplish an assigned mission and make it home. Until then, piloted aircraft are absolutely neccessary to make sure the unpiloted aircraft don't get schwacked.
2. Even if we can do away with the silk scarf in the cockpit, the Air Force, using US Air Force pilots, is the primary operator of our armed UAV fleet and continue to grow UAV squadrons to accomplish the mission.
The way I see it, the Air Force is ensuring their survival by leading the UAV charge.
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