Posted on 08/05/2009 6:12:23 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Have I said how much I HATE the leadership in DC these days...what a bunch of lilly livered men and women who have not only FORGOTTEN what their Oath of Office says but have turned their back on our security.
God forgive me, and I will pray about it, but I hate what they are doing to our country. I do. It is so very, very wrong.
“but ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh my, there is MONEY for CLUNKERS!”
And... there’s money to pay for “power chairs” for lardasses.
Just wanted that line to sink in to the naysayers out there that said it wouldn't happen.
As a prior member of Air Combat Command, I can say that the Air Force fighter-pilot leadership is largely to blame for the AF’s plight. They allowed the entire AF infrastructure to go to waste while they continued to push for their F-22 program. Meanwhile their ground radar systems, maintenance teams, logistical support, cyber warfare capability, nuclear fleet, and space systems have all been allowed to rot all for the precious new plane. So now they have an F-22 that has not been deployable to the war zone. Gates has no confidence in the current Air Force leadership, otherwise you would not have seen a few top level Air Force firings, the return of TAC (as Global Strike), cyber command being removed from ACC as well as combat comm, and the navy being looked at as the choice service for ballistic missile defense and possibly for the future of our GPS-type systems.
The fighter pilots had the keys to the Air Force kingdom and they have blown it. I loved the military, but the truth is that the Air Force is just another beauracratic government agency that thinks little of the taxpayer money and run by powerful men disconnected from what does and does not work at a tactical level.
WTF?
Hasn't the Air Force ever heard of cost benefit?
Why send a Ferrari to do a Pickup's job?
I HATE this administration, with all of my heart. God forgive, but I do.
Perhaps aerial warfare is moving toward unmanned aircraft and guided bombs. Perhaps the 70’s and 80’s vintage airframes are still close to state-of-the art for airframes and it is a smart move to just outfit them with new electronics and weapons. Our airframes might be old but the airframes+electronics are the best on the planet (I think).
What are fighter aircraft used for? Destroying targets on the ground and destroying other aircraft. How badly do we need fighters with more speed or more range or more ammo capacity? I don’t know.
Let’s suppose we could take ten billion dollars and develop a new plane and build ten of them, or take that same ten billion dollars and build 100 of an existing aircraft with the latest weaponry. Which is best?
Then there’s the matter of spare parts and trained personnel. That infrastructure is in place for the existing aircraft. Recall that a major cost saver and simplifier of life for Southwest Airlines is that they use only one aircraft.
And think about non-aircraft things that the money to develop a new fighter could be used for. Perhaps a laser aircraft and missile defense system. Perhaps something for our ground forces for use in guerrilla warfare.
He trained in Wyo at what is now an USAF base.
HE trained with a ‘rifle’ made from a broomstick and a piece of 2x4.
When he was shipping out to the combat zone (PTO) he asked about his weapon. He was told that he would get on in-theater, from a casualty - and they had a LOT of casualties.
He told me he swore an oath to the Lord that if he lived thru the war, he would fight (and pay) to ensure his sons would never have to go to war so damnably prepared. I did pretty good while in service. What Dad didn't understand was that he should have added his Grandchildren to his oath......
Don’t need weapons, just apology tours and group hugs.
The first question that must be asked is, “What are the goals?” Then the next question that needs to be asked is, “ What are the strategies required to reach those goals?” Then you determine the cost effectiveness of each strategy to see which strategy you choose. Then you develop the tactics to make those strategies succeed. What we appear to be doing nationally is insuring that an adversary will attempt to defeat us in a major conflict. The adversary isn't necessarily one country alone, but a group of countries. When they think they can beat us, they will try. We have a lot of riches here. May God have mercy on us, if things aren't changed.
The left will destroy our military.
Hey, stop making sense. The USAF has always hated the close air support mission, preferring instead to build super high tech super expensive toys.
Meanwhile, our infantry still carries a 50 year old rifle, wears forty-pound body armor, and carries twenty pound radios. The USAF can cry me a river-THEY aren’t paying in blood.
I was in the Navy during Vietnam and afterward, and I remember what happened to the military under Jimmy Carter. The military was hit hard by cuts in spending and personnel. Many excellent officers and enlisted were forced to leave. Obama needs the military for domestic purposes. He and congress know that without the threat of military force against the people of the United States, the people would revolt against him and congress. The Federal government could not function without the military; however, you don’t need the latest and best military equipment to enforce martial law. Civilians don’t usually own jets and tanks. If the government is successful in seizing personal weapons, such as firearms, the populus will be totally defenseless. I’m not saying that the majority of Americans are planning to overthrow the government, but my point is that without force of arms there is no way to enforce the rules and regulations pumped out by Congress. Liberals and Socialists fear their electorate more than they fear foreign enemies. Obama and Congress are going to try and reduce the deficit spending on the backs of the military, but they will always need an army.
What is the size and capability of the forces that are possible opponents?
There is nobody with numbers close to US numbers (or quality) anytime in the next 15 years.
“but ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh my, there is MONEY for CLUNKERS!”
Yea!thats about what the Administration is forcing the Air Force to fly.Clunkers.
Easy there buddy... Actually the USAF is paying in blood; I went to the memorial for the F-16 guy who died while strafing to save Army guys in Iraq a ways back. His wife and kids seemed to think he paid a high price, his wife looked like she was about to fall over while walking out of the memorial. Believe it or not we’re on the same team, although unfortunately the Infantry is paying the high price now. Trust me, I know that from first hand experience, and it is profoundly sad.
I wouldn’t even consider telling the Army Infantry guys how to run their programs. I would hope you would respect our 40 plus years of keeping US Forces free from air attack, while also doing a pretty good job of beating down forces before the ground guys get there. The Gulf War was a pretty good example of that. The point of the story above is we’re gutting our tactical air forces, we don’t have a plan in place to replace our equipment, and we may not be able to guarantee freedom from air attack in the future. I am not a big fan of the F-22, but I am less of fan of having not enough fighters to take on China or Iran if needed. Take a look at Jane’s Defence if you want to see how good they are getting and what type of equipment they are producing. It is good stuff and they have lots of it. And its all for sale too.
And by the way, the A-10A has been funded (for the most part) for the A-10C upgrade, and should be around for a looong time. Pray there are no SA-6/11s around if they do fly in future conflicts.
We have an amazing new F22 (have 180 but uhbama will not allow anymore to be built) and have the prototype of the F35 (a few are flying but it is a plane for ALL services - with variations [ie the ones that would land on aircraft carriers] that ubama had said NO to building the real deal.)
uhbama is a total immature jerk who could care less about our ability to help others and especially our ability to protect ourselves....my, goodness...if we were attacked somewhere in this nation, ol uhbama and Rahm would USE the horror or crisis to inflict MORE RESTRAINTS on our freedom.
About the A-10, take a look at how many bullets the F-35 carries versus the A-10’s. We will miss the A-10.
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