Clark Griswold

True - when we didn't do shit after declaring a threshold that you better not cross (fist shaking in the air) and then nada, we looked like amateurs. I am not sold at all on ousting Asad as I think Syria would just get worse (ala Libya) but there should have been something, attack a few airfields with cruise missiles, drop a MOAB via B-2 on something, just a huge explosion somewhere on Asad's territory to be played a million times on news channels to show tit for tat (giggity) Could be as Fuzz says this is force protection / deterrence for Asad's area and an eventual Russian task force. Ka-52 attack helicopters would be useful too but I'm interested to see if they'll start their own UAV ops there. They've gotten a good bit of experience from their hybrid war in Ukraine and Iran has supplied Al Asad's forces with smaller UAVs and their Shaded 129 UAV capable of carrying their Sadid-1 missile, you put all that technology force multiplier systems with 30-50k of fighters that Iran could get from Hezbollah and the 100+ billion dollars that they are going to get their hands on from the Nuclear Deal with the P5+1 group and they could turn the tide against ISIS but then you have Asad and Iran back in charge, well shit....

I'm sure this won't be a problem for Europe and I'm sure this won't eventually come across the Atlantic to give us a problem. Reporter Buys Forged Syrian Passport Marketed to Migrants Trying to Win Asylum in Europe. How Much Do You Think He Paid?

Good assessment. Coupled with the S-300 missiles Asad says arrived in Syria about 2 years ago, his remaining area is fairly secure from conventional attack.

Su-30SM confirmed on the deck in Syria (western city of Latakia). Just 4 jets, wonder why the Su-25 was not sent. https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/perilous-puzzle-su-30sm-fighter-jets-appear-at-russias-1731934051

Russia's on the build up, https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/russia-is-pouring-cargo-into-syria-including-heavy-arm-1730648838

No BFD buddy Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don't remember saying that.

Probably - always thought CAC was either a poorly designed acronym or a good joke slipped in (sts) without the PC Corps realizing it also Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, my thinking is that with the economy of scale that the FMS of the Advanced Superbug would bring, probably 250+ assuming an almost 1 to 1 replacement for the three countries I rattled off and then figure about that same amount for the ARC, along with any the Navy or USMC might buy and you could keep the costs manageable by having a really good production run and leveraging the components that would carry over from the Superbug to the Advanced Superbug. The F-15SA would be cool but the Bug and Superbug have landed more sales than the Eagle among the allies, you probably could get them onboard easier as more of them have Hornets in inventory and the upgrade to better version of what they already fly would be lower risk, lower cost, easier transition, etc...

Boeing also tried to get this idea going of the "missile truck" with the B-1R, there's Dogfights episode where this is used in a notional future A2A scenario, spoiler alert it all works great and the enemy just blows up in droves because they don't have a clue, ok sarcasm off. Probably not a bad idea but unless the BCA gets rescinded, amended or just ignored not sure where the money is going to come for it. AFA convention is this coming week so let's see if Boeing has a display trying to sell this idea. For my two cents, this idea of a 4+ gen missile truck would work if you gave it to the ANG / Reserves and tried to coax Allies interested / needing new airframes for their fighter fleet but not wanting to go all in on 5th gen b/c of cost. Buy Advanced Capability Superhornet for the Guard / Reserves, give nations like Canada, Australia, Finland the confidence to purchase as the USAF is flying it to avoid the launch customer failure of the F-20. Allies get a good affordable jet, Guard gets new iron, AD gets a missile truck when / if they need it. 2 - just open source and conjecture in clear.

Relight on thread. Updated 4 Gen Fighters carrying a shit load of missiles. https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/boeings-touts-new-16-air-to-air-missile-carrying-f-15-e-1730258333

The world is grey Jack Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Syria (or Al Asad's forces more precisely) know how, it's what they probably used to bring down a Turkish RF-4 in 2012, this is just insurance to keep the Coalition (read U.S. forces) from attacking any sites that come up and maybe to start to push us out of the airspace, not to talk shit about the administration but I doubt they would start to target Al-Asad's forces if they think there is a chance they will kill Russian advisors, their risk aversion they showed in the fecklessness to supply any weapons or aid to Ukraine given the chance NATO supplied arms could have killed Russian soldiers is likely to be carried over here. Let Russia arm Al-Asad, protest if you want publicly but privately let him wipe out ISIS and live with the lesser of two evils.

They might get deeper in the mire but this will distract attention, resources and efforts from Eastern Ukraine. They may play the energy card but they need cash more than they need to scare the Europeans so I think Gazprom will keep the NG flowing but history is replete with stupid decisions so there's always a chance of that. Asad is annoying and a tool of Iran but screw it, ISIS needs a royal ass kicking not just because they're a bunch of crazy murderous a-holes but because the global jihadi movement needs the winds taken out of its sails. Russia has a TTP - kill everybody and who cares what anyone thinks, not moral but can be effective ref Checnya, sometimes not though ref. Afghanistan. Round 2 of the GWOT: Russia kills ISIS. We keep the Taliban at bay. France keeps the jihadis down in Mali. Drones as required everywhere else. Trace the money, tap the phones, intercept the e-mails, hack their servers and never apologize for fighting Islamic Fascists. Post Script: Good article on a proposed COA, take their capitol and empower players emasculated / disbanded by ISIS https://warontherocks.com/2015/09/the-case-for-a-raqqa-first-strategy-against-the-islamic-state/ BL - do something, the Europeans should get all over this to stop the refugee flow, or at least part of it.

Russians in Syria... at this point does it matter? https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/09/world/europe/us-moves-to-block-russian-military-buildup-in-syria.html?_r=0

Copy that. Another video, this from Greece and probably coming to the heart of Europe soon. https://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/09/08/greek-islands-turned-into-a-war-zone-by-migrants-supposedly-fleeing-war/ Western democracy doesn't stand a chance when its elites are this clueless, apathetic, dumb, disconnected and/or naive. Cut to 4:33 and 5:33 to see why our societies are spinning out of control and nothing is done to control crime, illegal immigration, etc... two shinning examples of the slow motion self destructive lunatics that thanks to left wing media, academia, corrupt government officials and short sighted cheap labor seeking corporations that are enabled to drag down Western Civilization. It has been said empires are not murdered they commit suicide, I think we are witnessing that now.

Restart. Another high school valedictorian just being oppressed by the man and his evil border and immigration laws. https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/09/08/captured-convicted-burglar-deported-5-times-back-in-texas/ And while I think InfoWars is somewhat suspect the film speaks for itself. https://www.infowars.com/muslim-refugees-chant-allahu-akbar-fk-you-attack-citizens-throw-feces/ Helping a drowning man is noble but don't let him pull you down.

You are correct good sir so that one is taken Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stratotanker II would have been fine but if we wanted a mythological nickname Mercury would have been better

Yup, Keeping the Industry base alive, healthy and competitive used to be national security strategy, now we just accept having only a few BIG aerospace companies and getting fake parts from China because it's cheap. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-11-07/counterfeit-parts-from-china-found-on-raytheon-boeing-systems I don't wait till my car is so run down and so old that I have to look in junk yards for parts before I replace it, I get something new or a "new" used car before it gets to be a total pain in the a$$. Retiring after 25+ years seems reasonable as a good planning factor.

What in the hell...?

Thanks - I'm just going to guess that about 1,200 people direct RPAs in the USAF (WAG of 10% of the 12,000+ pilots in the AF). Assuming they each flew as a 2 place crew 150 hours a year at $300 per flight hour (high estimate) in a light aircraft that comes to $27 million and just a WAG but add 25% for support & logistics and that is $6.25 million for a grand WAG of $33.75 million. Not budget dust but not an impossible amount either. That doesn't account for procurement but figure you would get 150 at $150k and that is $22.5 million, again not a trivial amount but in the grand scheme of the AF, feasible with leadership. Just bar napkin math but this is not a flux capacitor, this is something that can be done. Just wondering if any dudes at RPA assignments are trying to work fractional deals in the squadron(s)? The AF should have a companion aircraft but if big blue is not interested are pilots putting together ownership on a plane to split the costs and fly?

Valid points and no one should have screwed with the T-3 to give it more ooomph but the execution was flawed not the concept of a light GA & Aerobatic training aircraft for the USAF, in this case for professional skills, career incentive and morale. The AF hasn't given anybody any reason for confidence in acquiring airplanes lately but this is chance to begin the long road to redemption.

Yup, average age now 50+ with another planned 25 years of service. Someone has to make the point that replacing some airframes, even if they still have some service life in them is not necessarily a bad thing as the industrial base has to be sustained. Even if you can squeeze out another 20+ years after 50+ years of service, if you don't give your own aerospace companies work they may not be there when you will need them and you'll have to go looking abroad. Now I don't think Boeing is going anywhere but the expertise in particular divisions might retire, move on, etc... Minor edit.