Clark Griswold

@ClearedHot Has Embraer released any projected specs on the boom equipped KC-390? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gotcha, Cleared Hot mentioned another time in another thread that with the engineering done for a KC-390, that 50k off load was way higher, I haven’t seen anything publicly released but it seems like a number that would be very relevant to a bomber, 4 ship or mobility platform The short, austere field capability alone makes it relevant IMHO with the reactivation of remote small Pacific bases Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What heavy is gonna refuel at that altitude? No specifics here but there’s a sweet spot for most big jets and it ain’t that

Honestly I don’t fret about them going nuclear weapons capable, doubt they would target us and I doubt they would develop their own capability that would not be entirely regionally and tactically focused all on Russia. It would be a strategic capability like Israel’s, relevant but small. Theres just too many Swiss cheese holes to line up and inconsistency in our relationship. They want to do business with Iran but still have us deter Russia and look the other way while we confront them in the ME, they offer vague maybes to supporting us in a Taiwan scenario but again demand not just a back but front stop every day against aggression. Alliances are made for reasons and when those reasons change so should the alliances. Whatever alliance Western Europe would form after a NATO dissolution would not necessarily be a for or frenemy by default.

Damn it that’s perfectly awful and true Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just don’t buy more than the 179 ordered AF get busy figuring out how to acquire this:

"If in 10 years, all American troops stationed in Europe for national defense purposes have not been returned to the United States, then this whole project will have failed.” Eisenhower in 1951 I saw this morning refusal to refuel USN ships from a Norwegian company https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/03/01/mike-lee-calls-for-exit-from-nato-after-norwegian-fuel-company-stops-refueling-u-s-military-ships/ I’m not sure the US doesn’t have interests in Europe or should not have some military commitments/alliances but perhaps NATO really has out lived its purpose, perhaps a more focused alliance of the US and perhaps the UK to the nations of Eastern Europe (Poland, Baltics, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece) is realistic and more in our interests. A smaller very mission focused alliance (territorial sovereignty and nothing more) would be more manageable, sustainable and with this membership be more cohesive as these countries would not be at odds with the US in other areas (economics, political differences, strategic areas in other theaters, etc…)

A good first step, next northern border then enhancement to maritime patrol. https://redstate.com/beccalower/2025/03/01/100-operational-control-hegseth-ordering-3k-troops-stryker-combat-vehicles-to-us-mexico-border-n2186169 Of course the devil is in the details, ROE & legally authorized missions but begin the process, the future is likely to be interesting

Side note - they bought CFM 56s with the aforementioned lower accessories drive unit because the good idea fairy thought they could quick change them on the ramp because airlines that do 20x more flying than the AF does just weren’t that smart and couldn’t see the need for that capability

Holy shit that was wild

Maybe transferring risk was a less than perfect choice of words but I would argue still for a new set of contractual rules that incentivize and require the contractor to identify unintentional errors, missteps, poor choices etc... by the buyer relative to the resources allocated in the deal and inform the big crazy Pentagon bureaucracy & Congress simultaneously that you are introducing costly risk, new requirements, unrealistic expectations of performance, etc… to stop acquisition disasters new language added to an existing authority like Nunn-McCurdy requiring the contractor to tell on the military when it is getting out over it’s skis and setting up said acquisition for a breach, delay, overrun, deficiencies, etc… is probably what I’m imagining Anything that culls the ranks of GOs is a move in the right direction, anything that destroys or culls their staff positions and all the other court jesters, royal viziers and assorted shoe clerk manufacturing positions is a touchdown Retire 50% GOs, 25% O-6s, 50% E-9s, 25% E-8s this FY. Turning the page from the GWOT to GPC can not be done with the same brain trust.

2 That’s the next fight, new contracting rules that essentially prevent the transfer of risk back to the taxpayers and force honest-ish bidding Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fighter / Interceptor plus CCA C2 platform methinks.

Good read https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/02/the-u-s-militarys-spending-crisis/

yeah I figured that but the axis of the Earth runs through the top of my cranium so I posted…

8% …. That’s some sacred cows getting turned into DOGE burgers… https://www.npr.org/2025/02/14/nx-s1-5297896/elon-musk-doge-pentagon-dod https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5303947/hegseth-trump-defense-spending-cuts

Bio https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2261430/jennifer-m-short/ I’m guilty of what-about-ism but Obama purged the Pentagon to align with his vision too https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/197-military-officers-purged-by-obama/ Clean house and get it done, the other side would be doing the same as always happens when there is a new sheriff in town.

But yes bomb the shit outta them

Meanwhile at Hellfire/JDAM/Griffin/SDB suppliers…

A number greater than 1 Still, this shit has got to stop, bullies respond to force and nothing more.

https://apnews.com/article/australia-new-zealand-chinese-flight-diverted-08067898b342c350ce7ef7cec56717de#

Post conflict ops being discussed, longish read but worth it https://www.twz.com/air/this-is-what-a-peacekeeping-air-policing-mission-over-ukraine-could-look-like Don’t see how this could happen without heavy US participation, Op Northern / Southern Watch 2

Roger that If only an updated version of the T-6 existed that exceeded requirements and was available with a better availability rate https://defense.txtav.com/en/t-6c

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202411/1322762.shtml?id=11 Two seater 5th gen

So flying with a USN Reserve dude (T-45 IP) and found out the Navy has figured it out with contract IPs for their T-45 program, namely money will fix manning issues with respect to that. Did the T-6 contract IP thing ever get anywhere? If not was it not enough money or crappy work rules / contract or both?