Now ain't that a pretty picture.
Posted on 12/22/2005 2:06:56 AM PST by F14 Pilot
It was sure a wake up call for the U.S. Air Force when the Indian Air Force handed the Americans their hats in mock air battles. Expected when going up against the Israelis.
The deal with the Israelis, I believe, was that they could make simple modifications to thier aircraft that would take mountains of paper work and red tape to accomplish in the US.
I seem to remember one of the Mods was a simple Mirror somewhere in the cockpit that gave them some advantage.
But I think what I am talkign about was 10+ years ago easy.
Now ain't that a pretty picture.
< NYTIMES>Surely it is not fair that our aircraft are so much more capable than our adversaries'. There should be a program where US taxpayers build these planes in order to provide them to China, Iran and any other hostile nations, so we can mantain a stable balance of power. < /NYTIMES>
Too cool! Let's drive down the cost......buy 500!
You wrote: "the Indian Air Force handed the Americans their hats in mock air battles."
Not entirely true. The US went in without it's best equipment and with handicaps. Kind of like fighting with one hand tied behind your back. Not that the indian pilots are bad its just that our technology trumps theirs, and in the event of a true battle they wouldn't stand a chance. Read More About it here. http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/007810.php
You should all read this site. It's mind-numbing.
The Vayrag is not something to be taken lightly. Fully equiped it would approach a 65,000 ton displacement and embark 40-50 modern jet fighter and attack aircraft. As such, it would be the equal (it is in fact a newer design) to the Russian Kuznetzov and would be the largest carrier in the world outside of America's super-carriers.
All these carriers can hadle are VSTOL type aircraft....no match for the aircraft deplyed on our carriers...can you spell "FLOATING TARGET?"
You're right. It was rear-view mirrors mounted on each side of the cockpit bubble on their F-16s. Simple and effective.
To win a war, you need to control the air, control the ground, control the roof-tops and control the sewers if needbe.
One thing about these air-superiority F-22s is that just a dozen or so over any country would cause that country to leave its airforce on the ground.
Like Iraq left its airforce on the tarmac in the war, just sitting there to be taken out, these F-22s will ensure that is the case in all wars for the foreseeable future.
Stealth, low heat signature, speed and missile-defence capabilities mean they can take out most surface to air missile systems while they are also leaving the enemies planes on the ground.
That is a very inexpensive option for air-superiority, a crucial component of winning any war. No matter the price-tag.
I live across the water from Langley.
Saw one in a FCF (funtional Check Flight).. That is a bird of wonder, I saw it practically hover on the air at 2500 msl
What an awesom wonder. Wish I could have turned a wrench on her.
I remember a Barney Miller episode where they were processing this drunk.
The drunk asks Miller: "Are you Jewish?"
Miller: "Yes"
Drunk: "You guys have one heck of an Air Force!"
Air Farce pilots are good, but Marine pilots are just as good, AND...
have bigger balls.
You are correct on all counts..... air superiority is where it is at!!!!!!!!!!
“Not entirely true. The US went in without it's best equipment and with handicaps. Kind of like fighting with one hand tied behind your back. Not that the indian pilots are bad its just that our technology trumps theirs, and in the event of a true battle they wouldn't stand a chance. Read More About it here. http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/007810.php“
Yes, the F-16 is certainly not the best fighter out there so it losing a dogfight is not earth-shattering news.
Perhaps one lesson to be taken away is don’t go into a fight assuming you’re the best there is. You might get a nasty surprise.
THanks to Gen. Merril McPeak, there will only be one Military...
"It was sure a wake up call for the U.S. Air Force when the Indian Air Force handed the Americans their hats in mock air battles. Expected when going up against the Israelis."
The facts are simple. In the mock air battle against India, the US guys {by agreement} couldn't use their "look ahead" radar capabilities, which means the one thing that gives us the biggest advantage, the capability to know where they are before they find you, was given up. It's like fighting with a blindfold on. Even then, they didn't beat us, but made our "losses" too high. It proved {once again} that you should never get into a fair fight.
If the other nations are getting close in technology terms, and this new aircraft gives us a big jump, good on us.
Not 'a' but 'the'. Sort of like no-tickie/no washie - no air superiority/no (military) win. The only fallback choice of the enemy is the support of our Left (eg Iraq).
I figured we didn't use our superior equipment against the
Indian Air guys but I heard that all things being equal they did much better then expected and won with what they had. Was glad to hear they have come so far so as to maybe be able to blunt the chi-coms if necessary and the pakistanis if necessary.
Thanks.
We need to lend a couple to the IDF so they can take out Persian-nuke capabilities, since we don't apparently have the stones...
Yep. We used equal equipment during this exercise and it showed flaws in our system.
While we enjoy superior equipment advantages we shouldn't rely solely on equipment.
This just went to show that other countries training is catching up.
This new jet should keep us far in the lead but too we need consistantly better taining methods and not get to high on our abilities.
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