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Miles was an awesome dude, mentor, and aviator. We lost contact over the years but I happened to see him at a fellow crewdog's wedding and it was great to catch up with him for a few hours that night. While I kept wanting to know about all the cool test stuff he got to do, he would mostly talk about what his family was doing and how proud he was of his kids. Tragic loss for his family, the Air Force, and the world in general.

I know the EA-18 Growler demo team isn't going.

Hopefully someone kicked some rudder because lead got lucky with having enough space to eject. Since everyone made it and are OK: Rejoin to the piggyback position? Is that a new Ace and Gary maneuver?

Probably for the best. The Navy should be going with an already proven platform vs the T-7 just like how the Air Force should have as well. We waste so much time and money trying to reinvent the wheel when we don't have to. UPT is a great example of that. We don't need some new revolutionary trainer aircraft, we need something that works. Same with the syllabus and all of the changes in the last 6 years for UPT. New pilots are coming out of UPT with less experience and that puts more pressure on the FTU to teach things that they should have learned in UPT like TOLD. /rant

CNBCTrump storms out of interview after being challenged abou...The president said he would like to see the weaponization fund proceed despite setbacks.He's starting to flail. Just goes to show how no matter what's going on or what he's doing, at his core his ego cannot be controlled. Literally nobody gives a shit about January 6th or his nonsensical election fraud claims, yet he keeps bringing up these losing topics because he can't stand the idea that there are any losses whatsoever.

I’m not sure it was appropriate during a Memorial Day speech, but 10,000,000 illegals coming through (most completely unvetted) in 4 years is definitely an invasion. Mayorkas should spend his remaining days in a federal (max security - no frills - death row type) prison.

You clearly don't know what it takes to fly precision loops to Van Halen, while taking all the 60 series.

Pretty impressive landing roll. Actually a no roll. T/O is incredible as well. I’m not sure the tires even rotated fully.

So 19AF can now solely focus on continuing to gut the UPT enterprise

They don't care...orange man bad, who gives a flying F if thousands of Americans died from Iran's support of terror.

Sample size of one school (unrelated to AF training) - vast majority of young CFIs suck (and we’ve ran through a lot in the last year, hired from all over the country). Their work ethic and maturity are significantly lacking is the best way to sum it up. Now add in their complete lack of experience and unwillingness to acknowledge that - it’s a recipe for bad decisions and poor instruction. I can only imagine this is plaguing these AF-contract flight schools. UPT is, for all the valid BGCs, vastly superior to a standard flight school, especially when trying to produce military pilots at scale.

Don't you remember Red Dawn? Wolverines!!!

We've been down this road, and similar paths, constantly and consistently since the 1970s. I'll believe that Big Blue is serious about CSAR (and CAS) beyond the A-10 when the following things occur: 1. SPECIFICALLY, in-writing, designate a MINIMUM of FIVE squadrons (of the MDS of their choosing) that will take CSAR as a PRIMARY mission. These squadrons will take dedicated, three week (or longer) TDYs to Moody AFB to learn, refine, and become proficient in the CSAR mission so that when the last Hog flies West, the mission is so deeply ingrained in the PRIMARY focus that no stress or strain can erase it. Why 5? I'd argue that's the absolute minimum number for a somewhat regular AFFORGEN deployment rhythm. Welcome to the world of low-density, high-demand. Who's going to want to go into no-kidding combat without Sandys? They will also publish the recurring training events that will prove to the entire CAF that the commitment of NEVER leaving a comrade behind on the field of battle is alive, well, and preserved in the United States Air Force. This won't happen, because it hasn't happened. In order to do this, those five squadrons will have to give up other missions in order to focus on CSAR. It isn't a pickup game, and if we relegate it as such, we're breaking faith with our own. Period, dot, full-stop. So, what can we ask that F-16, F-15E, or F-35 squadron to give up in exchange for keeping CSAR alive at such a pace that our own don't lose faith in our ability to come snatch them from the Valley of the Shadow of Death on the worst day of their lives? Draw the line in the sand. Demonstrate the commitment. Spoken words are hollow. Write it. Sign your name to it and accept the accountability for the decision. If we're not willing to do that, to that level, then we have to get serious in another way. Alternative COA: Give the mission in its entirety to the US Navy. Carriers are near the fight and are mobile. Sign it all over if we're not willing to do what it takes and maintain the mission at the standard that was forged in the skies over Vietnam. The mission has been tinkered with and tossed around a few times, and every time that's happened, it hasn't been good. We had to relearn the TTPs in Desert Storm, and that only happened because enough A-1 vets were retained in the young Hog community to keep the idea alive. Draw the line and go big, or punt on fourth down. Doctrinally, the USN is the closest to the USAF CSARTF in terms of composition, so push it all over there. Zero's perfect solution because I have the pens: Get serious about what war has really been over the last forty years, and the elements that will endure REGARDLESS of the war we want to fight. Our track record on predicting future conflict is pretty terrible, so (as they love to say at Air University) use the past as prologue and keep the things that you've always somehow needed, even if you didn't want them. Get serious about the USAF commitment that's existed in this manner since the original Sandys made it clear that they would walk through Hell in a gasoline suit to bring a comrade home. That means extending the A-10 until 2035, with all that's needed for such sustainment-- depot, WIC, FTU, test, and spare parts. That timeline gives the service time to develop a proper follow-on A-10X. You can even bolt-on some after-market add-ons to make it a VERY formidable F/A-10X and take the low-end counterair vs the low-slow toys so that the super expensive machines can focus on their high-end fights. Better yet, call it the ATTACK-MULTI-role FIGHTER, or AMF. You could field it in no time since you've got a foundation that you know works-- put some new versions of the -34 on there that get 15K lbs of thrust or more, add on every means of plug-and-play munition, EW, and comm suite that already exists, and of course, keep the gun. Done. On the ramp by 2035 so that the last of the c-models can take their place in the boneyard. We need the pickup truck in an era where everyone just wants the sports cars. EVERY conflict since Desert Storm has proven that. Bottom line at the bottom is that there is a numbers game that we're losing and will continue to lose so long as we don't accept the harsh reality before us. Budgets aren't big enough to field an entire fleet of exquisite and VERY expensive fighters. You can't field an NFL team with all quarterbacks, but it's also damn near impossible to field a winning team without those high-speed, highly paid leaders who pass and carry the pigskin. You need linemen. You need knuckle-dragging brawlers. There's already not enough to go around, and the trend is continuing downward. If you're going to transfer the mission, DO IT RIGHT, and START DOING IT NOW so that the new guys can learn from the experts. If you think it's a pickup game and that you can re-learn it on the fly after your one upgrade ride four years ago, you'll be joining Jack in the Esfahan Hilton. We're already late.

Buddy my job is literally to travel around the country and stay in different cities. Just because it happens sometimes in other cities doesn't mean there's a comparison. California has been orders of magnitude worse since the pandemic. And it's not even close.

I will never understand the argument that people in a country illegally should have a months- or years-long right to protest their removal. Are you here legally? If no, then you are deported. Deportation is not imprisonment or punishment, it is merely the cessation of violation. Where's the logical end to this nonsense? Should visa applicants in Zimbabwe have a right to "due process" if they are denied a green card? If not, why is it any different for the Zimbabwean who snuck in? If we are trying to give them prison sentences, then yeah, due process includes the right to a fair trial. But if we're just returning intruders to their rightful place, due process should include only food and water for the journey home.

Yes, we get it. You’re a progressive who doesn’t like Trump or people who support Trump.

You mean 13 attributable to a mass murdering radical Islamic controlled government? We have been in conflict with Iran since 1979. More Americans have died from Iran directly or indirectly than from any other country. This escalation was bound to happen eventually.

Not mad at all, just calling out frauds like yourself. Your entire “knowledge base” is built on whatever the media spews and a significant political bias. You do not have first hand knowledge and you demonstrate such a lack of understanding of classification and information ops, I doubt you’re even in the mil, or at least in a role that would actually understand these things. Specifics? The last post I replied to, and somewhere around 90%+ of your other posts in this thread alone.

Don't think so, that is the bird that has been testing the new AESA.

And they've started issuing cards for flops, maybe this sport might finally take off in America.

I am cautiously optimistic like you, but not jumping up and down yet. Have you seen the outline of the deal? From what I read it differs from JCPOA in that it is performance based. The sanctions come off and the blockade ends when the straight opens. Eventually free up $25B of Iran's money as they meet other milestones. I much prefer a deal like this versus flying an airplane with pallets of cash just because they said they agree. As for the enriched materiel, they have "supposedly" agreed to no nukes and a plan dismantle their nuclear program, details to be negotiated... Indeed. They have far less traction these days and with the mid-terms approaching it is obvious Trump wants a deal in place, and oil back to $60 a barrel. Even with the back and forth oil is down 26% in the last 30 days and 4% just today at $74.50. I want you to be wrong, not to spike the ball but because I don't think any of us wants another forever war our kids have to fight. I will disagree for now, the jury is still out because a few things have happened. Iran's Air Force and Navy are completely toast. Yes they can still project power through TBMs and Drones but they are strategically in a much different place. Not saying it was worth it, just providing my BDA. Also, this fight reignited the discussion about building a bypass canal. A huge effort that likely won't happen but as an alternative plan the Gulf nations are investing heavily in extensive, multi-billion-dollar overland pipeline networks to secure their energy exports. The UAE operates the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which pumps oil from the Habshan fields to the deep-water port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, bypassing Hormuz completely. The UAE is aggressively accelerating a second parallel pipeline to double this export capacity. Saudi operates and is expanding the East-West Petroline, which transports millions of barrels of oil per day from the Eastern Province directly to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. And efforts have resumed to build the multi-billion-dollar proposals for a Gulf Strategic Energy Corridor, a network of pipelines linking Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman to the Arabian Sea. Amen

This problem is an easy fix but there is a lack of political appetite to actually solve this - same could be said in this country until recently.

Dudes with giant balls make biff sport wood. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Just following Ukraine's lead...They used successfully used an automated robot over a month ago to recover a trapped and wounded soldier. The robot survived two mine strikes and safely brought the soldier home.

Matters not...between the promotion bullshit and this...dude is off his rocker.

As a prime contractor, turned DoD Civ, turned prime contractor the federal civilians who hate contractors are the ones who would never get hired by one since they’re worthless. Those are the ones DOGE should’ve rid from the civil service.

It's always the management causing the issues. I've worked with engineers from all the main contractors. Some got more of the 'tism than I care to interact with, but they're working hard for the nation. It's always the damn managers, and execs, that delay, ask for more money, etc. Also, some gov civs fucking hate contractors even if they're kicking ass, solving problems, and creating/improving capes. That was a new one for me in my brief time in DoD contracting.

Turns out doing a demo without the most basic of formation flying skills is not ideal.

I have a new theory but no data. Was there a Coldplay song playing on the airshow PA?

I’m an equal opportunity hater - fuck em both!

I think this sounds like a solution in search of a problem.

Whoever made this is next level!

We had a rental van in Germany year ago. We were flying down the autobahn when the dude in the passenger's seat rolled down the window....the combination of speed, airlfow and age on the van was just enough to tear the headliner loose.....BOOM....we were all suddenly sitting there covered in a cloud of insulation, it looked like a scene out of a movie, all we could do was laugh. Took us a while to get all the insulation out of our hair, teeth and flightsuits. The next day one of the guys super-glued the headliner back into place. We turned the van in a few days later and never heard a word.

I’ve returned a car OCONUS missing a door. Said “have a nice day” and left. Never heard about it ever again. Seen many GTC rentals returned all kinds of screwed up over my career, never seen or heard of anyone getting screwed (questioned by the CC is a different story).

I'm glad they didn't have a radar gun on the Destin bridge 40ish years ago.

Nope. Do it. What's the magic number? 4? Because I've been to 4 different CA cities and witnessed the horror show with my own eyes. None were SF.

Blancolirio said their airshow flying was an additional duty. Well, that should just about take care of the airshow demos in the Growler. Glad they all got out, but why a colossal waste of money and not a good look for Naval Aviation.

Look at the picture again. Dude shit in the street, not on the sidewalk. It's the little things....

Two has some spalining to do...parroting other holy cow lucky they all got out and didn't get tangled up. I thought it was AI at first...they were stuck together after first contact.

Shifting back to a more tactical discussion it appears the Saudis and UAE are VERY upset by the latest attacks from Iran. Pakistan has now joined the Saudis and there is talk of a ground incursion into Iraq to target the threat vector directed at the Kingdom. Saudi has recalled 50,000 reservists. Pakistan has deployed a squadron of fighters and thousands of troops to the Kingdom...next few days are going to be interesting.

Timing and spacing was good. Two, your PLF was a little off. I saw feet, butt, head. Remember to roll on your side next time.

I can’t explain that, because I don’t know. What I do know is as follows: 1) We have an artificially higher gas tax, by a significant amount. I don’t know why because our roads are terrible and they’re turning them into bike lanes. 2) My electricity rates are increased at a rate that is greater than the advertised rate of inflation (but are likely what actual inflation rates are.) 3) Trash fees, which were previously apart of property tax, just became an additional fee of $600/year. 4) $19,000 a year in state income tax at roughly $300k a year. 5) 1% property tax on a $1m home (median) is a lot. Plus community taxes. 6) We’ve created the fastest high speed rail… That doesn’t exist. 7) Probably lots of “Learing” Centers.

Another good question is going to be why do we have Growlers flying air show profiles? Did you really need an LDHD two ship to do a routine that would probably look exactly the same in slick hornets?

I love California and hate who/how the state is run. I have a beautiful home in San Diego that overlooks the airport, bay, and North Island... And we've had my wife's car broken into once and a homeless man come onto my patio, steal her shoes and a weightlifting belt I had on my squat rack. We also have a really nice property six hours North of San Francisco where the only things you run into are deer, black bears, and mountain lions. I agree that California is probably the most diversely beautiful state. I just wish that it wasn't controlled by the Bay Area and LA populace. I'm hopeful that people are waking up. Spencer Pratt's Mayoral campaign seems to be going quite well. Can he win? I don't know, but I hope that he does.

Is there any rage bait you don't fall for?