Posted on 04/28/2005 3:23:19 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Didn't the Commandant of the Marine Corps recently offer to take over the A-10 program if the Air Force abandonded it?
You said it all, thanks. I wasn't clear enough about the F-35 in terms of the three configuration. I was referring more to a joint services procurement plan.
In Naval Aviation school, they say "Don't worry! If you wash out, there is always the Air Force."
"The Navy. . . it's not just a job. . .it's a silly job"
(At least that would have been an honest recruiting slogan)
The only reason the Air Force wanted the MX in the late 80's was so that they wouldn't have to give up nuclear superiority - to the Navy!
Right. . .three words for ya: "In the Navy" (Village People)
Somebody said this with a straight face?
What does the A stand for?
Well, I suppose everything can be a fighter. Throw some AMRAAM on a B-1 and you got yourself a long range fighter. No pesky escort required either.-
I always thought that air to air radar is kinda handy in modern fighters. Many century fighters had air to air (F-101, F-102, F-106) In fact, many pre-century fighters had air to air (F-86D, F-89, etc.). Many WWII fighters had air to air. But if you don't think its important in a modern fighter, you can turn yours off.
I forgot that attack helicopters are fighters too. They carry air to air and are very tough to deal with if you go low with them. I have no doubt that your A-10 could turn inside of an over anxious fighter (err...pointy nose) pilot. The S-3 could handily turn inside an FA-18. The problem is that it only works if the pointy nose guy doesn't have look down shoot down and is silly enough to actually come in close at maneuvering speed. Sopwith Camels can also turn inside every modern pointy nose aircraft.
I'm assuming that the swacked F-16's got that way via Sparrow, AMRAAM, or maybe a face shot?
We'll just have to disagree about the "fighter" thing. My definition goes beyond having an air to air capability. For me it goes to whether the primary mission of the aircraft is air to air or air to ground. But there's no shame in the Navy in being attack. I knew a skipper that transitioned his squadron from A-7s to FA-18s and forebade his aviators from calling themselves fighter pilots. His point was that with two F-14 squadrons on board, the Hornet was to be an attack aircraft and that mission was primary over air to air.
But hey, if the USAF wants you all to be fighter pilots, then you're a fighter pilot.
If I was tasked to plan our future defense needs, air , ground or sea power.......I'd plan on having to fight China, Russia, South America and the terrorist 5th element that would accompany any such fight "all at once".........
Such a plan would clearly involve airpower of such a scale never seen or needed before in the history of modern warfare. Pay for it by stopping all foreign aid yesterday.
I'd double the carrier task forces and new special operations submarines in the navy. Triple the MEF's in the Marines. And ensure that every state in the union supports a active duty military complex that is a combined Army and Air Force base.......kind of like Ft Bragg and Pope AFB or Ft Lewis and McChord AFB.
Primary on my list of improvements would be to re-establish the nuclear triad of land based ICBM's, bombers on alert and boomers at sea to their prior ability. A swiss style militia in the CONUS with men and women between age 18 and 65 would be tasked to counter that 5th element of terrorists with an armed society system such as we see in Israel ........
Just some ideas......
Who's gonna pay for all that?
I have to agree with Jeff Head. I am just completing Dragon's Fury and the real threat is going to come from multiple directions and folks we ain't ready for that with the gutted military I see everyday.
Are you still flying the F-15E? That's a nice airplane too.
I'm just rattling your cage about all the "fighter" stuff.
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