ClearedHot

In my opinion Boeing would not help put a boom on the KC-390 because it would be a direct threat to selling more big wing tankers. Right off their Agile Tanker Webpage "Includes advanced boom and resilient, open mission system to support JADC2 requirements"

More than faith, can't elaborate.

State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo Issues New mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance This analysis found that there is an 84% increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death among males 18-39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination. With a high level of global immunity to COVID-19, the benefit of vaccination is likely outweighed by this abnormally high risk of cardiac-related death among men in this age group. Non-mRNA vaccines were not found to have these increased risks. As such, the State Surgeon General recommends against males aged 18 to 39 from receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Those with preexisting cardiac conditions, such as myocarditis and pericarditis, should take particular caution when making this decision.

There was a formal RFI for KC-Y and posturing by USAF and AMC to just buy more legacy tankers. That COA hit a brick wall in August and they now plan to focus on KC-Z. My guess is that a lot of key USAF leadership changed including Mini. The new leadership wants to disrupt and by shifting to KC-Z they work towards a family of systems that better addresses the present and future needs. That shift is reflected in plans to conduct an AOA in 2024 which will focus on and accelerate KC-Z. Anything is possible but my guess is no. The advocacy for Scorpion and LAE came from an insurgency inside USAF. The only reason we had the multiple rounds of "experimentation" was congressional insistence from people like John McCain. The USAF strategy was obvious, string it along and wait out McCain and they did. Despite funding and planning for 300 aircraft, USAF managed a few on the margins that they now want to give away. Tankers are different, they not only enable the big shiny toys like F-22/F-35/B-2 and the future golden watches like B-21/NGAD, but they are absolutely essential in the INDOCPACOM CONOP. Keep in mind the INDOPACOM CONOP has been USAF's battle cry for funding for the last 15 years. Now that everyone in the building believes we will scrap with China by a certain date, you will see more and more of the budget lean into that effort.

Another 600 points off the DOW and 3% off the NASDAQ. UFB.

Yes unemployment rate went down (3.5%), but the number of new jobs (usually an indicator of the economy), saw a huge decrease to 263,000 per month from the average so far in 2022 of 420,000 per month. As a frame of reference in 2021 new jobs were being produced at 562,000 per month. Eight months later the rate of new jobs has been cut in HALF...the boat is slowing rapidly as reflected in our negative GDP. As I read the tea leaves the interest rate hikes are biting and the economy is slowing but inflation remains high. With gas prices back on the rise inflation will likely remain high. The next indicator to watch for will be a reduction in earnings from major corporations.

Job report shows a decrease in job....no shit when the Fed is raising rates. Next earnings will be reduced and layoffs will begin. OPEC cutting production means gas prices will go back up and inflation is here to stay. One simple move, increasing U.S. energy production, would have a HUGE benefit to the market and the economy but that is a third rail issue to this administration, so lets just drain the SPR. Thus, the pain will continue AND accelerate.

Great question and one that hasn't been answered yet. In AMC's defense they do appear to be adapting to Mini's new emphasis of "lethality." Go back to last year when KC-Y was first suggested, that program flowed out of a CONOP study that showed a shortage in the number of tankers given to effectively service our toughest CONOPs (read INDOPACOM). That program identified the need for 300 more tankers...kind of staggering that we have let it get to that point but when you retire KC-135's, retire the KC-10 and the KC-36 is YEARS behind schedule you may have trouble executing your highest demand CONOP. KC-Y was written to address that gap but from a legacy CONOP employment perspective, likely the reason it died so quickly. Here is the major issue in my uniformed attack pilot mentality. AMC is a very corporate big blue organization, the largest consumer of jet fuel in the world, as such for many years they approach tanker contracts from a cost to provide a pound of gas on station. I get it...economies of scale is a valid point to consider but this is combat and the economies of scale model comes at the expense of combat capability. This methodology leads to ever bigger tankers that carry a massive payload of gas very efficiently. The problem with this model in PACOM is that it relies on large bases (runways), that must be protected. Specific to INDOPACOM we have settled on a fortress Guam strategy that is unsmart. If this goes hot over Taiwan Guam is going to eat 1,000 TBMs with sub 3 meter accuracy, to think a few patriot batteries are going to save the runway, the aircraft, the infrastructure is complete lunacy. Agile Combat Employment and austere operations has been talked about for several years but the only real action taken in the past few years is to harden and lengthen the runway at Tinian....wonderful, that is a bit northeast of Guam and now they can eat a bunch of TBMs as well. What is needed is an approach that dilutes the Chinese advantage in TMBs and increases the ability to present survivable gas where needed. Switching to a strategy that flips the calculus back on the Chinese means your requirements and criteria should be centered on combat capability rather than economies of scale. It appears USAF/AMC have decided to focus all attention on KC-Z with a family of systems approach which I applaud. Yes we need big wing tankers to provide large offloads, we also need blended wing LO tankers that can enable our 5th and 6th gen fighters as well as the B-2 and B-21. I think we also need a tactical tanker that provides flexibility and options. The ability to provide large amounts of gas from MULTIPLE approach axis without relying on large runways has a HUGE strategic benefit. Now that USAF/AMC have settled on KC-Y, I expect exercises, studies and experimentation that will test these ideas and shape requirements for the RFP that will come in a few years.

Since Biden took office U.S. oil production has decreased by 3 Mil barrels per day. A few days ago despite Biden's hat in hand trip to Saudi, OPEC voted to decrease oil production by another 2 million barrels per day. Biden's response...disappointment and the release of more oil from the SPR. I would say they are inept but at this point it seems purposeful to drive this country off a cliff.

This is what is wrong with the Air Force (and the Air National Guard) Oklahoma Air National Guard and Air National Guard leadership conspire to break the law after pilot dies

Our legal system needs an overhaul. Monday night this asshat ran on the field and towards the players bench holding a smoking device. After being tackled and arrested he has now filed an assault report against the player and is filing suit for his injuries.

I think in this case it would be the other way around. C-17 Production ended in 2015, the cost to restart the line alone would be multiples higher than options currently in production. Additionally, you would have the same boom development costs. Finally, the C-17 itself would cost three times as much before the previous two factors were added in. If you want to modify the existing birds, perhaps but the gap it would create in strat airlift would simply push the burden to CX which is even further out.

Its been talked about but why? The aircraft is out of production, would cost more than a new tanker (actually three times what a KC-390 costs), and modifying the existing birds would cut an already strained strategic airlift fleet.

I hope someone looks at the big picture (wishful thinking I know). What is the timeline to manufacture 450+ NP2000 props versus the timeline to manufacture 450+ new legacy barrel assemblies. If the timelines are even close it may be worth it to INVEST in the H's to keep them viable and FAR more capable for years to come.

We as in the U.S. government and our allies. There is a LOT going on behind the scenes right now.

We know who attacked the Nord Stream Pipe Line, We know how they attacked the Nord Stream Pipeline and we know why they attacked the Nord Stream pipline...those are facts. Currently responses are being "discussed and wargamed." There WILL be a response. What the response is and whether or not that response is ever publicized has yet to be determined.

Interestingly, the A400 costs nearly double what the KC-390 goes for.

Interesting two day bounce. The market thinks the Fed has done enough. Interestingly the next rate hike decision will be made four days before the mid-terms. My prediction, potential for 10% rally into 3Q numbers but then a pullback as layoffs and earnings downgrades start. I think there will be a huge bond market rally into next year. Fortune favors the brave...unless you are investing in Crypto...

The sickness that is Woke Liberalism on full display. In the picture below is Steve Adler the mayor of Austin Texas, a "Defund the Police" zealot who as Mayor cut 1/3 of the police budget. Here we see him sleeping at the memorial for Officer Anthony Martin who died in the line of duty last month.

From the analysis and past discussion with the Army I've seen so far, increasing the C-130 internal width by 8" would have made a dramatic difference but Lockheed would not budge (unlike BQZIPS's Mom). Still working the exact numbers to account for new equipment but it looks like that small change would yield an increase to between 30 and 40% of current rolling stock. As an aside, KC-390 has 14" more internal width.