ClearedHot

And RVS?

The irony...

The project was pitched to USAF (by me and a few others), three years ago. At that point the timelines were completely doable for the China fight. Cool story except the jet is ALREADY doing those things...at least with the variable speed drogue. (Brazilian Air Force (since 2019), Portuguese Air Force (2023), and Hungarian Air Force (2024). It was designed to refuel Helos which it has been doing since 2014, the variable speed drogue was certified two years ago, I think they started with F-5's. Regardless, it is now certified for a bunch of aircraft...Gripen completed a few months ago. The Northrop Boom is TRL 7 so mot of the risk is gone. It is already at scale and in service with the Brazilian Air Force (since 2019), Portuguese Air Force (2023), and Hungarian Air Force (2024). They make one per month, have the organic capability to make two per month. With investment, 10 per month...being fully digital means they are already postured for rapid production. Also, funny you mention the parts...Collins Avionics, the engines are the International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500-E5 right off the Airbus 320 CEO...a purposeful decision. Also, kind of funny you mention timelines, Boeing was late delivering KC-46's and now deliveries are stopped because of major cracks. The RVS is broken and they openly admit they won't have a fix until 2027. This and the fool me once meme are the reasons we are trapped in our own dogma. ZERO vision and willingness to try something different...now the tanker choads can just chew their cude...you got what you deserved...our at least what your masters think you deserved. I've discussed it before but saw the same thing with the Wedgetail (which is better than a 60 year old E-3, but us still a flying tube of hot garbage). When we offered a far superior option with a brand new but proven radar, imported existing mission and data management systems from current ISR platforms with MILLIONS of flight hours and mounted on a Bombardier bizjet that could part up at FL 510...greatly changing the physics of the AMB world. We submitted HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of pages of tech data including detailed engineering reports from actual flights. As I recall there were 480 pages just on the certification of the "shapes" that would house the radar and other toys alone. We submitted the entire package and USAF responded ONE HOUR later - "not technically feasible." I am sure they did a detailed analysis of all the engineering and documentation in that hour. The NEXT DAY the gave Boeing a Sole-Source for E-7.

Northrop already has a flying wing boom. Huh? Same offload as a KC-135 Multi-speed range drogue for Helo/TiltRotor/Jet AR can refuel two aircraft at same time AND still has a boom for USAF AR. Operates of 3,000' strips. In war games run it COMPLETELY changed the dynamic of the fight. a. More gas on station for same number of platforms because it can operate forward and shuttle gas to the IP faster. b. 198 airfields in INDOPCOM forward that can handle big-wing tankers. 1,000 4,000 asphalt/dirt approved in same. You are 180 out my friend. USAF is trapped in a Stockholm syndrome of ideology. This biggest shortfall of this platform is we would get 2.5 for 1 and it would require more pilots. I spent a year on this project including walking the fully digital production line in Brazil...zero paper used to make this plane, completely state of the art.

A book was in development for the KC-390. Boeing is predatory and trying to block all efforts to engineer a new boom. Buying up all the surplus booms, even in airparks. Putting a boom on the 390 changes the tanker calculus and Boeing can't have that.

Iran lost an F-4 today during workup to attack Israel and U.S. Forces. Reports indicate the pilot who was the commander of the training squadron was killed, his WSO was wounded but survived. In other news, Iran rejected the "deal" today...its going to get sporty. God speed to all our folks downrange.

The mid-terms are shaping up to be a battle of the ick. Trump continues to run his mouth and say $hitty things, the Dems continue to actually do $hitty things. Look no further than New York City with new mayor Mamdani and his road to ruin in NYC. Promised to end sweeps of homeless camps, broke that promise less than 60 days in and restarted sweeps today. Published his $127 billion budget for its 8.4 million residents. In contrast, the entire state of Florida, with a population roughly three times larger (approx. 23 million), is considering a budget of around $113.6 to $115 billion. His budget has some interesting items and actions. a. $5.6M and $4.6M for racial equity programs. b. $835K for gender equity initiatives. c. Up to a 9.5% property tax hike. d. Cancelling the hiring of 5,000 police officers. e. $1 billion plan to establish a new Department of Community Safety. f. Withdrawing $229 million from this fund in fiscal year 2027. (64% of NYC teachers voted for him 🤣). g. Withdrawing $980 million from the city's rainy day fund. Ordering lots of popcorn to watch NYC turn into an even bigger crap hole.

RIP

A bunch of iron flowed on the 16th...

New York City residents getting EXACTLY what they deserve and voted for...hope it tastes good. 9.5% Property tax hike...😂

I read that to mean the evidence he did see on things like the tic tac video indicated they were something else...as in of this earth.

A VERY interesting after-action debrief to be sure...

1 and 4. Heavy GPS jamming in the area as of a few hours ago. Edit* It was a cartel drone breach. Threat is down.

Supposedly ATF main already corrected the issue but it shows the bias still int he system.

The ATF still being the ATF.

Or the Coast Guard, they would never show.

Lots of moving parts, a drop out and a supposed surprise. A B-1 from Ellsworth will lead the the 7 ship. They were supposed to have 2 X F-22s but the Raptors had to drop for (operational requirements - read we are getting reading to pound the crap out of Iran), two F-15C's from Fresno will step in to cover down. Next 2 X F/A-18s out of Lemoore. Finally 2 X F-35Cs from Lemoore. No idea what the surprise is....would be great if they pissed all the California Liberals off by blazing the entire formation over in burner....hope it is a good show.

AMFers Slife and Cat 5.mp4

Air & Space Forces MagazineAir Force Academy Leaders Ousted in Shake UpU.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind and Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks will both retire this year.

Too Funny!

Cuba could turn into the economic powerhouse of the Caribbean. I went to school with a lot of friends that came over during the Mariel Boat Lift....they flooded our schools when it happened. I've talked to many of them over the past few weeks including some who HATE Trump but are cheering what he did in Venezuela and potentially Cuba. Every single one of them can retire in the next few years but all have vowed to go back for a few years to help rebuild. So much potential and people don't realize how big Cuba is (55% the size of Florida).

New Mexico's turn to go full retard. Just one of the gems in SB17 seeks to ban ALL gas operated semi-automatic guns.

Trump's Foreign Policy is a big departure from President's past. He removed the criminal leading Venezuela, Iran is about to fall and, not getting much press is the full court press on Cuba. Not a fully named embargo but little oil is getting in and they likely have less than 30 days reserve on island. Interesting that Maduro's protection element was all Cuban and it is coming to light that there was a lot of fentanyl coming in through via and enabled by Cuba. Numerous Russian military transports have landed in Cuba the last three weeks...intel indicated Air Defense, attack drones and ECM assets. Would be interesting if he took, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba all off the table as threats in a single term.

It is hearing safe! Interesting video below - cliff notes he says 5.7MM has the following advantages - More rounds same space (some gun mags up to 24 rounds), less recoil, better penetration (including level 2 body armor which 9MM can't penetrate), longer range, better reliability issues because it doesn't use a feed ramp like most 9MM's. I won't be replacing all my 9MMs anytime soon but I am impressed. The biggest advantage I've seen is how light, small and quiet it is which makes it useful for home defense.