Posted on 03/16/2009 10:15:25 PM PDT by utahson
Two defense officials who were not authorized to speak publicly said Gates will announce up to a half-dozen major weapons cancellations later this month. Candidates include a new Navy destroyer, the Air Force's F-22 fighter jet, and Army ground-combat vehicles, the offi cials said.
More cuts are planned for later this year after a review that could lead to reductions in programs such as aircraft carriers and nuclear arms, the officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
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Wagya-Head LOL!
They already have a Hussein II Bobblehead figure
- D.us is offline right now - no access -
Well said
How many AF pilots do you know?
When do you forecast the "next fight"?
I would suggest you read (or re-read) the various books available on Boyd.
He was a tactical genius, in that he taught himself how to get the maximum capabilities of our aircraft ...inspite of design limitations.
He became an Aerodynamics expert who was instrumental in changing/improving aircraft acquisition to get a very capable (and much lower cost) F-16 fighter aircraft.
Later on - he became the latest “global thinker” on the same level as Sun-Tzu, Machiavelli, Clausewitz, etc., in maneuver tactics. His OODA loop was used ...from the individual fighter dog-fight, to the larger battle field ...to the global strategic picture.
If you claim Col Boyd was stuck in the 1950’s - you don’t know Boyd! For example - he was called in as an advisor prior to the Desert Storm attack to kick Saddam’s military out of Kuwait ...based on his global thinking/strategic capabilities! The Marines consider him to be one of the major thinkers of the 20th Century for tactical planning.
Darn, I should have named it WagyaHead! Yes I saw that D was down awhile ago.
I have a moving ‘balloon head’ of Obama too, remember?
Well, I can’t say I disagree, and if cuts need to be made I sure wouldn’t want most of us to make those decisions.
No, wait. I WOULD like the responsibility to make those decisions. “That 5 Billion you are giving to ACORN, Obama?” You can’t have it...I need it to fund mine resistant vehicles. That 600 million for green cars for the government employees? Screw that. We need to get the F35 and the F22 funded. Turkey Basters for Lesbians and money for the NEA? Sorry. I need that for the VA...”
In all seriousness, I cannot believe that Gates will assist in the dismembering, but on the other hand, I know he doesn’t have control, he can only suggest to a degree with a petty dictator like Obama.
I guess I should be glad he doesn’t resign in protest and have Weasely Clark take over.
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Yup - I recall
Lol, I should make a graphic of Rush or Anne holding that balloon on a string.
Prayers to you, friend!
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Rush - He seems to ruin Hussein II’s days the most
Rush got out the best and widest exposure of Hussein II’s plan to force combat Vet’s combat injuries and VA healthcare to private insurance paid for by the soldiers
Sean Hannity has Ollie North on now discussing that -
Hussein II - Rigging the VA system
Back to the Clinton years.
I haven't kept up on a lot of news lately but have read several articles about that. Probably from the Drudge Report headlines.
If Obama ever thought the Military would support him he can forget it now!! Maybe that's why he wants his own ‘army’.
Read today about all his cutdowns on military equipment, ships, etc. He is weakening our ability to defend ourselves.
I know about Boyd. His energy-maneuverability diagrams were pure genius, and the basis for every worthwhile thing I learned about dogfighting.
However, the F-16 was NOT an example of his genius. He wanted a light, highly maneuverable point defense VFR fighter. The original F-16A was that...but the USAF doesn’t DO point defense.
The modern F-16, with an excellent radar and used for bombing with targeting pods were anathema to Boyd & his friends. They fought modification of the F-16 into a useful weapon every step of the way.
His OODA loop is a fancy explanation of what every boxer/martial artist is taught - to get inside you opponents thought cycle. That is why boxers learn combination punches.
He was stuck in the 50s, because his idea of a great fighter is one that can turn & burn. That was great - in the 50s & 60s. Still useful in the 70s. Worthless by the end of the 80s. Advances in radars, IFF, and now data links have made getting behind your opponent for a heat/gun shot a terrible tactic.
I was fortunate enough to get my start in F-4s, back when dogfighting WAS a critical skill. Now it is primarily useful for teaching aircraft handling. Modern air combat isn’t about turning and burning. It is about intercepts and using networks and advanced systems to kill BVR.
Obama probably would start buying old Russian weapons, like other Third World Toilet countries...
Obama has said that maintaining the F-22 is “Too Expensive”...
Gates isn’t going to survive as SECDEF past next May. Old Westley Clark has the position coming, and Gates is keeping the seat warm until then. The reason that Clark isn’t SECDEF right now is that you have to be out of the military for 10 years before becoming SECDEF.
Obama will probably outsource our weapons production to Russia and China...
With the amount of money in the stimulus package, we could retool our military for the 21st century and create millions of jobs in the process. Instead, Obama would rather throw the money down a government black hole.
Of course, I do recall that a F22 made a gun kill back in 2006 in an exercise up in Alaska...gotta have something to do when those missiles are gone, right?
I agree about the BVR kills, and it should always be as absolutely unfair as we can make it.
But, as I said in another post, for our military to be able to function at all, we depend on air superiority. Any success we have enjoyed since WWII is almost always a direct result of that.
If we get in shooting war with the Chicoms or the Russians, they are not going to cede the air to us as readily as some of our other foes have done. But you know all that...:)
Thanks for your service!
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