Clark Griswold

Copy all and was surprised that they did not seem to know about the various turbos that AFSOC has that could perform this mission. Yeah, we kinda already have this capabilty (small on-demand airlift) but not integrated as part of conventional operations. I think that is what they were hinting at, airlift capability directly tasked by the customer vice customer putting a request into an AMD and waiting to see when they will get airlift for the small, high priority widget or party to travel between close to moderately separated locations. How much is enough or necessary to be operationally relevant? 50, 75, 100 tails?... felt they should have filled out that as they allude to losing LOCs in a European conflict and needing this light airlift to fill the gaps created by losing a bridge, port, major runway, etc... How much capability does this platform (if accquired) need? Range/speed, payload, defensive system, comm cabilities, NVG cockpit, etc... they seem to want to keep it basic (I would agree with that) and not too customized from a likely civilian airframe but would likely need some options not offered regularly offered from the factory... Just my two cents but if there was a way to pull some shennanigans and gain a possibly relevant capability, co-locate these with RPA bases and some overseas locations for good deal tours. Not the cheapest airplane but a Cessna Grand Caravan would probably fit the bill for STOL, speed, capability and adapability for other roles along with most of the desired military capabilities already engineered for this type

Interesting argument for light (very light) on-demand direct airlift for small, specialized cargo/passenger requirement. https://warontherocks.com/2019/06/featherweight-airlift-for-want-of-a-nail/ Is there a requirement for this? Is it affordable? Does it offer secondary benefits? It was interesting that the authors were/are respectively both fighter aircrew and not airlift aircrew advocating for this, thoughts?

Like Tucker Carlson and apparently so does Trump, article on the subject and excerpt that confirms I will be voting for him again: https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-tucker-carlson-privately-advises-trump-against-iran-war “Trump thinks Tucker is one of the sharpest minds on television—[Trump has said], ‘So smart, a thinking man’s show,’” one knowledgeable source told The Daily Beast in August. It wasn’t always like this. In a piece Carlson penned for Politico, published in January 2016, the Fox host described a voicemail he recalled receiving from Trump, back in his celebrity-businessman days. “About 15 years ago, I said something nasty on CNN about Donald Trump’s hair,” Carlson wrote. “I can’t now remember the context, assuming there was one. In any case, Trump saw it and left a message the next day. ‘It’s true you have better hair than I do,’ Trump said matter-of-factly. ‘But I get more pussy than you do.’” “Click,” Carlson wrote. —Adam Rawnsley and Andrew Kirell contributed reporting.

That's a risk but doing nothing is not a COA in this situation IMHO, too many pokes in the chest to not earn a solid pushback. The key is that it has to target the IRGC to the maximum extent possible. Yeah, it's an excrement sandwich but chewing thru seems to be our only COA. Not a bomb the shit out of them response but very targeted, very painful and one that demonstrates that if we choose to we can flip them on their backs like a turtle and step on them if necessary. They loose face and deterrence is re-established. The regime needs an external enemy to remain in power therefore they will always be a-holes what we need is for them to be afraid that we can embarrass them at will. Keep it to air strikes on IRGC targets via stand-off weapons, seize Iranian assets, isolate diplomatically and covert actions. Doing nothing will cost more in the long run.

So DMPIs on military / industrial targets or both? They export oil, cripple that and the regime loses 45% of its money, they would not have the ability to withstand another Iranian Green Movement.

New AWACS business jet project, not big wing but... https://embraer.com/global/en/news?slug=1206607-embraer-and-elta-to-create-a-new-market-segment-with-the-launch-of-the-p600-aew https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/paris-embraer-and-elta-team-on-p600-aew-aircraft-459043/

Europe thinking about AWACS recapitalization: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-airshow-nato-awacs/nato-faces-big-bill-if-it-does-not-pick-awacs-successor-soon-officials-idUSKCN1TG0C1 Get a volume discount and Boeing needs the business, re-cap AF with 737 NG based platforms

Apologies Was in another article I read on this today: https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-shoot-us-reaper-drone-oil-tanker-scene Maybe but I think a cyber, clandestine maritime program to give Iranian shipping a lot of unexplained problems along with keeping the support to the Saudis to keep Yemen from falling to their proxies is phase I, phase II can come later if they choose to escalate Time to start another Op Earnest Will part 2 in the meantime

Concur They took one of the crews into custody / hostage from one of the tankers and are now taking them to Dubai, just wanted bent/burnt metal not bodies. History rhymes Ok, so how do you give feedback to let the Iranian regime (not civilians) know this will not be tolerated? What do you strike, seize, deny that causes the regime enough pain to stop?

Iranian SA-7 shot at a Reaper: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/14/iran-fired-missile-us-drone-prior-tanker-attacks-defense-official.html

More on the subject of potentially divesting F-15Cs and replacing with F-35As: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2019/06/11/the_wrong_fight_over_fighters_understanding_the_f-15x_purchase_114494.html

Gotcha - legitimate concern. Option 4 (Mixed replacement with 15C divestment) seems the best overall COA. More operational iron available for a contingency immediately and over the course of replacement/divestment while getting a mission relevant platform with a unique capability to enhance the fight the 5th gens bring.

Yup. At least 8 if possible.

Could be a very interesting summer for the F-35 program: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/28421/heres-the-pentagons-roadmap-for-booting-turkey-out-of-the-f-35-program Also two other good F-35 related articles: https://warontherocks.com/2019/05/f-15ex-and-f-35a-the-future-of-american-air-superiority/ https://warontherocks.com/2019/06/f-15ex-the-strategic-blind-spot-in-the-air-forces-fighter-debate/ Article by Orgeron (F15EX and F35A Future) was interesting in the COAs he provided, particularly exchanging F15Cs for F35As (Option 3). He doesn't seem to really think it is a great option but offers as COA, got me thinking could you optimize an F35A for air to air? Not thinking something that would break the bank (further) but anything that could reasonably done without basically building a totally new variant of the F35? Updated/modified weapons bays to get 2 more internally carried AAMs, conformal LO weapons pod that doen't interfere with existing bay doors, slightly modified airframe for more fuel or drag reduction, etc... With enough money, almost anything is possible but as there has been reservation expressed on buying a new 4th gen build and re-starting the 22 is a no-go, can you modify the 5th in production now for an optimized air to air mission?

9 ship water drop and a view from the flight deck of scooping

nothing is faster than that.

Can not duplicate - works on my interwebs... Gizmodo page of the flyby: https://gizmodo.com/watch-the-pilots-view-of-the-craziest-flyby-ever-5809436

Low fly by from two perspectives, HUD and dudes jumping out of the way:

Probably but you can make that same case for most AF problems discussed on BO . Net You have to argue and hope someone empowered is lurking on this forum and will be persuaded by your brilliant posts... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The concept is nice but to fix it for reality it should be: The Air Force We Actually Need and Can Afford. Effective (not necessarily nice) coaches cut players from the team when the time comes rather than holding on, the old players have played well but their time is past and it is time for the team to move on for new talent. Same applies to aircraft fleets.

Army loves fixed wing aviation programs... until they get the bill. If Congress gave a Manned Fixed Wing Light Attack program to the Army, it would get cannibalized by Big Army like the C-12/C-26 recapitalization efforts were. - Break Break - The AF is the best branch to take the Manned Fixed Wing Light Attack concept and make it a real program, it just doesn't know it. Repeating unsolicited talking points in case someone at HAF is reading: - Retire 5-10% of the oldest/brokest 4th gen fighters to get the money and initial cadre. - Distribute Light Attack Squadrons for multiple training opportunities (conventional, special, foreign customers) and options to ideally retain members considering separation by differing locations (West Coast, Mountain West, Southeast, East Coast and 1 European base). - Offer light attack cross-training opportunities to Mobility/Reconnaissance aircrew. - Keep it 5 to 1 deploy to dwell. - Buy a robust platform, not just one that can meet the requirements set in the mid 2000's; the fights will be at greater ranges, require the platform to grow and adapt and be self-deployable.

Can that hard point carry a better/bigger pod than the Sniper pod now? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But there's gotta be some leveraging of the stealth rotor-wing capability that is sorta openly known.

Not bad. Like everything modernization or acquisition these days, it's all coming due at the same time and starting with a virtual UCAS opponent might be the only cost effective way of starting on this now. The beat never stops, Dark Sword & Sharp Sword (Chinese LO RPA/UCAS) are flying now, Russia will soon be flying its Hunter RPA/UCAS, and this is not just for the AF, the whole Joint Team is going to be defending against these (eventually).

Not saying this LO UCAS would be only for Red Air but using this mission to develop & learn how to build a combat capable LO UCAS seems like a feasible building block approach to fielding the first autonomous/remotely directed UCAS. If king for a day, I’d approach it with risk management in mind and develop an air vehicle first to give a kinematically challenging target. Develop robust links for active control via ground and air stations in this first spiral. Once that’s proven, I’d work on integrating a self-defense capability this would be the spiral to begin testing autonomous and semi autonomous operations. Next active / passive sensor integration and try to further develop autonomous capabilities. Just one dude’s idea. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk