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That sounds like an acceptance that standards be lowered to allow non-fighter types the opportunity to make the team. This isn't the hopes and dreams force.

Maybe someone called Winchester on our munition levels. - - - - Like @busdriver is saying, take all their money. Every fuckin dime or whatever they use as dimes. And any rich asshole from Iran. Seize their money, take their shit.

If continued military action is desired, the logical thing is to continue the blockade while striking as required to self defend. And sink or seize the entire shadow fleet that was involved in running Iranian oil. Otherwise, min engagement. Take the IRGC's money. Let them break themselves trying to stretch this out. Turn this into Northern/Southern watch.

Don’t have an EM diagram on the T-7 but googled it and thrust to weight is 1.41 and 0.91 burner and mil respectively with +8 g, that’s not the whole picture obviously but it would do fine, particularly in configurations for shows, demos. Clean wings, half fuel, maybe ballast in the right places, etc… I get your points and will take you at good faith, would the class of pilots be more diverse in career backgrounds yes but there would be no DEI, Affirmative Action, etc… to make the team you would have to be first a great pilot generally, a great T-7 pilot and a pilot who can make the grade thru training. Other competitive and selective career opportunities take or have taken pilots from all AF backgrounds: U-2, B-2, 89th, exchange programs, etc… this is not as risky / infeasible as might seem, just different than our current prdigm. The current mission statement (I would call it that) from their website https://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/overview#:~:text=The%20Thunderbirds%20perform%20for%20people,aim%20to%20excite%20and%20inspire. The Thunderbirds perform for people all around the world to display the pride, precision and professionalism the U.S. Air Force represents. Through air shows and flyovers, they aim to excite and inspire. In addition to showcasing the elite skills all pilots must possess, the Thunderbirds demonstrate the incredible capabilities of the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon. That’s cool but what I would propose is that in this total team, total force world to deliver air, space and cyber power, having a team pulled from all flying missions of the Air Force would be representative of the paradigm of the total force, coming together to accomplish the mission. Proposed new mission statement The Thunderbirds perform for people all around the world to display the pride, precision and professionalism the U.S. Air Force represents. Through air shows and flyovers, they aim to excite and inspire. Thunderbirds display the elite skills, dedication to perfection and unwavering teamwork all Air Force pilots are trained in and honed to the highest standards demonstrated in their performances. Thunderbirds demonstrate the incredible capabilities of the Air Force’s high performance training jet, the T-7 Red Hawk, which all Air Force pilots receive training in and the team is composed of members from all the flying backgrounds showing the total teamwork of the United States Air Force. If the show changes but is still impressive so be it. If pilots from fighter backgrounds are usually the opposing solos and skilled heavy drivers are better at other positions so be it. Just because it has always been some way doesn’t mean it should always be that way.

Destroy their ability to refine fuel. Modern military forces going back to WW2 can't function without fuel. Make it hard to move resources like missiles around the country or fuel small boats etc Of course, the US citizens of today couldn't endure the hardships of the WW2 generation and our adversaries know that. In 1945 we were in it to win it elections or not.

I'd say the T-7 is a last call 'what the hell, why not?' level sexy; certainly not on the same level as the Viper. Can it do a double Immelmann? Can the opposing solo do a sub 100 knot slow flight and then shortly afterwards turn around for a 555 knot low pass? Loops with enough of excess thrust that wingman can easily maintain position? How about a fast, high-g, min radius turn over show center? I don't know the answers (because I honestly couldn't care less about the T-7), but I suspect the answers are no. Also, for better or worse, the F-16 is going to be part of the AF for a long time to come. Again with the applicant pool. Is there a shortage of applicants? Along the personnel line of thought, T-Birds fit solidly into the fighter category of debriefs. I know multiple previous T-Birds and, as I understand it, they conduct long and excruciatingly detailed debriefs where every tiny mistake is discussed in a cold heartless fighter pilot style. I am sure that there are some other communities that are similar (prob Gunships and similar), but I've sat in on enough debriefs of other platforms to know that many pilots that were raised in other communities would have little tolerance for a gloves off fighter pilot style debrief. Pilots are molded by their communities and it would be difficult to remold someone with 6-9 years of experience. In the end, it seems like you are seeking a more diverse pilot group for the Thunderbirds. That's been tried and didn't go well.

Time for Linebacker 3.

Pretty well…until we took a break.

Dibs!

Sydney Sweeney in a one piece or bikini is still hot as hell

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

The only airplane with a side opening canopy I want to see at an airshow is an OV-10 or an F-104.

How's bombing them into submission going? Asking for our nation.

If any "Plus-Ups" are still waiting, this is the latest: "Good morning. NORDO from scheduler. Followed up this morning. There are 3 from Plus-Up list (post board upgrades) that are pending assignments. I know she was involved with some high up briefings last week (CSAF level) and I would not be surprised if she is having to make changes across already scheduled classes (not uncommon)."

Agree to disagree, she’s sexy in the red, white and blue… But as to more of the why, because the T-7 for better or worse is the future or part of the future of the AIr Force. Changing the team to this type and expanding the applicant pool I think signifies a change in the USAF. Just my two cents. The horse is out of the barn so whatever deficiencies the -7 has like the -46 have are gonna have to be addressed, fixed, mitigated, etc…

The only way I could explain the lack of Air Force supervision over the schools is the same reason the whole concept sucks: every school has a different management composition and style, every school has a different pool of cfi's and every school has different aircraft. How could the AF possibly expect any kind of standardized result.

Navy has grounded four of their five demo teams. Only the Blues are not affected. The Navy treats demo teams very differently than the USAF. Will they adopt more of a "USAF model" in the future?

Oh weird, the IRGC, effectively a terrorist organization, can’t be dealt with via diplomacy or ignoring them. Shocking.

As more info leaks out from the test world on the T-7, it's going to be embarrassing. The T-50 would have been a nice alternative. And the T-50 is a nice Airshow aircraft.

4th gen dudes.

And it looks like we are bombing them again. Granted, it's some mine laying boats...so, as is tradition, they were doing exactly what they now accuse of doing: "Iran criticised the “bad faith and unreliability” of Washington"

The War ZoneChina’s “Bohai Sea Monster” Reappears With Apparent Weapo...New details add weight to the idea that the “Bohai Sea Monster” has a kinetic role to play, although the general concept could be supersized for other missions. New details add weight to the idea that

Well played...