Posted on 04/21/2013 3:06:00 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
The U.S. Air Force prefers to use its F-16 fighters for everything. While the F-16 is a capable and versatile aircraft, the main reason for using it so much is because it is so cheap to operate. It costs the air force $23,000 per hour to operate an F-16C. Other fighters are much more expensive. An F-22 costs $68,000 an hour, while an F-15C costs $42,000 and an F-15E $36,000.
The only aircraft that beats the F-16C is the A-10C, which costs $18,000 an hour. But the A-10 is not a fighter and is optimized for ground support. The F-16 can also do that, but not as well. The other ground support aircraft, the AC-130U costs $46,000 an hour. Thats why these are being replaced by C-130 transports ($18,000 an hour) with special cargo containers consisting of sensors and weapons similar to those on the AC-130.
The F-16, like the A-10 can also drop smart bombs. Both aircraft are much cheaper at this than the bombers. The B-52H costs $70,000 an hour, the B-1B $58,000 and the B-2 $169,000. The problem with the bombers is that with smart bombs you dont need a lot of bombs. So what the F-16 can carry (a dozen or more, depending on weight) is usually adequate in places like Afghanistan. For an attack on, say, North Korea, the bombers would come into their own, at least for the initial assault when there are a lot of targets to hit.
With the right sensors, missiles and electronic weapons plus well-trained pilots the F-16 can beat just about any other fighter out there. For stealth fighters, that would have to include sensors that can handle stealth. But stealth fighters often have the best sensors and electronics as well. Thus against most foes a well tricked out F-16 can do it all.
Look up John Boyd. Interesting career.
I saw a documentary where a guy was trying to set the low level speed record in a jet. He was using a stripped down F-104. They tried to film his speed run, but the camera couldn’t keep up. When the camera finally finished panning left, all there was to see was dust. The guy had run it into the dirt. They sent some rescue vehicles out and I can remember thinking “That guy is a goner”. They found some pieces about the size of dinner plates. Then, they found the guy in his ejection seat. I think he had a broken leg and that was it. I believe they thought he hadn’t ejected, but just rode it in. Amazing.
XB-70 Valkyrie
Old Air Force magazine cartoon:
A zoomie in an F-4 is flying along with a BUFF. The zoomie of course has to show off, and then says to the BUFF pilot “You can’t do anything like that!”. The BUFF pilot responds “Yeah, but can you do this?” The BUFF keeps flying at the same speed, altitude, and direction.
Zoomie: “Do what?”
BUFF pilot: “Shut off two engines.”
Remember, fighter pilots make legends, bomber and attack pilots make history.
Daryl Greenemeyer and his Red Baron
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1093756/index.htm
F8U-2N, Same venue.
There are a lot of them at Luke in the Phoenix valley with all of its dust and dirt. Doesn’t seem to keep it from being their main training base and the future base for the F-35.
I am close enough to see about a dozen take-offs a day without trying.
Purportedly, the least stealthy aircraft ever.
Complete with radar and IR signatures that screamed out "Look at me!"
If you look at a U2, it is obviously closely related to the F-104.
There are pretty girls, and then theres the woman you want to bear your children.
If youre in a firefight and you need 500 rounds of 30mm depleted uranium pumped into a spot, theres only one platform for the job.
I always thought the Corsair II was a neat looking plane.
Don’t know about that, every jet fighter I’ve ever heard of was capable of sucking FOD off the runway.
I spent two years at a F16 base. Every take off was on full afterburner and not one jet went down because of FOD.
“I get in trouble for saying this but I think if you add in some avionics upgrades to an F-4, F-14 or even a MiG-21, it can do most of what an F-22 or a Sukhoi-30 can do today. “
Not even close except for the F14.
I remember the A-7’s too. We had them based here in Pittsburgh for the Penna Air Nat’l Guard. The guy who was in charge of their repair shop lived two door down from me.
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