Posted on 03/01/2012 8:20:30 PM PST by U-238
Even though Global Hawk is built in his district, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon told me today that he would not personally push to save the Block 30s from oblivion.
"I will not be involved in trying to force something just because it's best for my district," McKeon said today during the interview on C-Span's Newsmakers show. The Air Force killed the Global Hawk Block 30 purchase in the 2013 defense budget, arguing that the venerable U-2 reconnaissance plane does a better job for less. That cut is estimated to save the Pentagon $2.5 billion. The chairman clearly wasn't abandoning the Block 30s, but he did note that the U-2 is also maintained in his district. Perhaps in an effort to ensure his subcommittee chairmen keep their prerogatives and no one accuses him of pork barrel politics, he said the relevant subcommittee would handle the issue. McKeon did say he had "some concerns" about choosing a "50-year-old plane" over a more modern aircraft.
On defense sequestration, McKeon said he had not put his plan to avoid the automatic defense cuts before the GOP leadership yet. He's waiting to get 80 to 100 signatures on his proposed bill before he does that. But he also said he would strive to get more money for the Defense Department. "If there's any way to get more money, I will try to do that," he said
(Excerpt) Read more at defense.aol.com ...
Good news for the U2.
Existing contracts for global Hawk will be fulfilled, then the things get mothballed.
Also HELIX gets the axe and the UK picks up Rivet Joint.
More good news for me.
When I think about it, I’ve never heard of any federal socialist give-away program being cut back. Amazing.
Global Hawk has seen huge cost over runs.
IMO they picked the wrong folks for the signal processing.
On top of that, I am not sold on remote manless platforms.
If UAVs are expendable its a fine route to go, but if its a high dollar platform, you might want an experienced pilot at the controls WTSHTF.
I think this notion of UAV A10s for close air support is just goofy.
A good Warthog pilot is a trip to behold.
if a satcom link can enable the pilot to take his ease
in a comfy chair how does that further the mission? blood is expensive. there doesn’t need to be a pilot in the
craft anymore.
I believe there does need to be a pilot, this aint a video game.
You just cant replace good people on the scene with desk jockeys.
I honestly believe that.
And I understand that blood is precious.
I have wreckage of a U2 here.
http://www.u2dla.org/content_files/dively.htm
Have you ever driven a car?
Of course you have.
Have you ever driven a car on a computer screen?
Of course you have.
It aint the same.
That’s the precise take away here. Exactly right.
We spend more than half a trillion in handouts each year, and they focus on the military first every time.
Where are the cuts to the lazy class?
Doubt they will be mothballed. Just transferred to DHS for spying within our borders. They have to get UAVs from somewhere.
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