Clark Griswold

Good article on the Tomcat 21 concept: http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/top-gun-day-special-the-super-tomcat-that-was-never-bu-1575814142 From the article and few others on the subject, the idea of one type fleet carried the day vs. multiple airframes, can't say that doesn't have some merit to it from the big picture management perspective and limited resources. Too bad, it would have been a sexy beast... F-22 replacement, 6th gen planning is beginning... http://breakingdefense.com/2015/01/kendall-unveils-sixth-gen-fighter-project-for-2016/

Because after the A-12 disaster nobody in the Navy wanted to try and fight to get a multi billion dollar fighter program through their own brass much less congress. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Makes sense - forgot the A-12 debacle Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sea Raptor http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-NOTAM-230209-1.html Since we're discussing things that will never happen but question for the forum, why didn't the idea of a carrier variant for the F-22 ever come about? Looking at the history and seeing the programs at the time (ATF, NATF, etc..) why didn't the USN want to get a naval variant of the larger twin engine 5th gen fighter already in development, i.e the USAF has already paid for a lot of the development, rather than go with a single engine aircraft yet to be developed? The oracle of Google had no ready answer to this question, anyone know any backstory to this?

Yup - Planned Obsolescence is not what we should build into them but at the IOC / FOC of a new MDS, the planned service life and replacement should be discussed, they are now but those replacement dates just keeping get shifted to the right. Instead of waiting for a major accident to happen, having to figure out SLEPs, or other band aid programs, do what you tell Airmen every Friday night, have a plan. Flying a jet for 20-25 years is enough; it keeps the fleet healthy, the industrial base viable and fielded systems relevant.

Rollout. http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/01/28/japan-first-stealth-fighter-unveiled-x2-sdg-orig.cnn http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/everything-we-know-about-the-x-2-the-future-of-japanes-1755710322

Good point(s). On F-22 related news, I guess what the 22 could face that would be a more capable threat, the PAK-FA got a new lease on life as India and Russia hugged it out and came to an agreement on cost sharing and capabilities required: http://warisboring.com/articles/russia-pulls-its-stealth-fighter-back-from-the-brink/

I'm arguing for (with -0.01% probability of happening) another 5th gen with more weapons capacity than the F-35. The FB-22 in this hypothetical would fill the role imagined for the B-1R concept. The 5th gen platforms we have now (or will when the 35A is FOC) are excellent except they need to be able to cue more weapons than they can carry as it is likely they'll be swarmed by 4th gen fighters or likely have to attack multiple times a double digit SAM site as it will have its own point defense systems, a Strike Raptor able to carry 12 or more AIM-120s or 30 SDBs / X JSOWs could be the part of that first night package to clear a path thru an IADS and not require a dedicated escort. Bringing on another 5th gen would be the ton of bricks that breaks the camel's back so the 35 will have to do, which it seems likely as of late, it has been quietly successful. If you were willing to give up certain capes or divest quickly whole fleets to fund this maybe but like you said if better decisions had been made this might have been possible, as they weren't it is not. If I had to choose something to jettison to pay for this, it would not be the Hog, if you're reading this ACC... probably not.

You may be right on the An-70 but Antonov is not giving up on the Western Market and competing in 100k payload range, with it's proposed An-188. http://www.janes.com/article/52287/paris-air-show-2015-antonov-reveals-an-188-strategic-transport-aircraft Too bad, the propfans would have been good tech to further develop. It's interesting, with a couple of exceptions, a lot of the new tac airlifter proposals (Y-20, UAC-TA, KC-390, etc..) are going to turbofans and swept wings (not too swept) forgoing the basic STOL design of straight wings with turboprops. I am guessing they have slats to augment flaps for STOL performance, maybe not down to 3500' at max GW high and hot but still shorter field capable and the trade for higher cruise TAS and service ceiling is worth it for them.

No doubt we would be building Raptor 2.0 with an FB variant but it should be pitched as the compliment to the existing Raptors, you get an LO strike platform and missile truck with the FB instead of relying on a 4th gen to go into the WEZ as the 5th gens press forward.

Maybe but competition my spur them: An-178, KC-390 and if you go up in capacity to An-70, might give LM reason to further improve the mighty Herc. An-178 has already secured some orders, Saudis notably,

Valid.

Can't argue with that, an FB-22 would just be much more capable in the A/G, at least from a load out perspective. But the development of updated software & avionics for an FB could / should have updates / improvements for the F-22, an indirect way of improving the tails we have. Honestly, the only thing that could get this started is a situation where double digit SAMs or 4+ gen fighters either block or severely impede operations for 'Merica or allies, the need will have to be demonstrated not just theorized before Congress will come around to it.

What are you crazy? Follow thru with a procurement and capability strategy and then revaluate at appropriate intervals when you have built out to program milestones that would allow you to have operationally relevant and logistically efficient fleet sizes? Put down that crack pipe of common sense and drink this blue kool-aid... Seriously, I agree but the AF does not like to play thru when the heat rises (in all fairness other branches curtail or cancel outright even after considerable development) but you would have thought with the recent memory of the B-2 when the ATF program was about to bear fruit there would have been either organizational resilience to resist rash moves or that more thought and contingency planning would have occurred for cost overruns, delays, technical issues, etc... True, but this flight of fancy is the hypothetical development of the FB-22 for the range of A/G missions. Like the Superbug to the classic hornet, this would have to be at most a second cousin the original Raptor with a lot of new customized systems, software, etc... to be a realistic A/G platform. Now about the money...

This should be on the CSAF reading list: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Blue-Yonder-Politics-Bomber/dp/0691023069 On the subject of restarting the line for Raptors and how it has 0.69% chance of happening plus or minus 100%, if the new CSAF wants to chase a white whale that might be catchable, go after the FB-22. If the Navy can jedi mind trick Congress into buying that the Superbug was just an improved version of the classic hornet, the AF can do the same. Another article on restarting the Raptor line, basically the author's opinion is the technology is old well so is the technology of the A bomb but that's still effective too, my retort to that. He references an attempt to use the stored tools and recorded tool use videos, that didn't work so well, they couldn't find the materials and that happened several times, so this could all be moot but worth bullshitting over. Worth a two minute read: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/solution-americas-f-35-nightmare-why-not-build-more-f-22s-13858

True - that is the crux, we (the AF) are only advisory really to how or what we buy / operate, Congress with its causes, agendas, deals and priorities writes the appropriation. Still, the case has to be made we can't afford to support Congress Oinky who wants to keep shoveling slop to X constituent and his/her parochial economic interest that sucks money from legitimate requirements. I agree it is not impossible, Regan resurrected the B-1, but we need a revolutionary with multiple stars to take a risk and publicly call out divestiture of old systems for new ones - the move to divest the A-10 while promoting the F-35 being the bad example of this, don't have a good one but hey there's always a first.

Word. Ned, I want to avoid a personal attack, that's usually bullshit and not relevant but I do want to ask and if you don't want to answer ignore me or give me the one-finger salute, but... 1. Are you commissioned yet? 2. Rated? 3. Older than 27? I'd like to know your background and compare it in relation to mine when I woke up from the Matrix. I still am proud to serve and do so everyday but I am realistic about the Air Force, warts and all. Every year I have been in it has gotten worse: Leadership detached or indifferent to the actual mission Inordinate attention paid to social actions & policy at the Wing to Squadron Level Poorly executed onerous efforts to save minuscule amounts of money when the real elephants in the room continue to smash the furniture and walls No aggressive vision to create a modern force in terms of aircraft, systems, HR policies, force composition, pay & benefits or administration Rampant corruption, cronyism and ineptitude at the highest echelons of leadership The AF is an F-4, as long as it has plenty of gas and both motors it can fly the speed of heat but once that fuel runs out or we loose thrust on a motor, all that drag we covered up with thrust comes out. One motor is sputtering and the low fuel light is on...

The Air Force Boss Gave A Depressing Response When Asked About Building More F-22s I wouldn't say depressing (Tyler Ridgeway's article title) but honest, anyway the view from the top of the food chain on a restart of Raptors.

Blizzard 2016 over... finally.

Fascinating... I had not heard of that Herc variant before, very cool. Found this brochure on it from back in the day on it, 140k GW airplane into a 1500' strip over a 50' obstacle... very STOL capable....

Good Christmas list. Thanks, I did some google-fu but found just a the slide with the NG and the proposed C-130XL for Herc concepts, besides the past proposed amphibian Herc, which would be cool to the power of 10. One thing to add to your list, a new JATO system. Follow on to post: C-130.net article on a research C-130B in the 50's with boundary layer control over flaps, controllable down to 60 knots but just some lateral control concerns... http://www.c-130.net/g3/c-130-photos/North-American-C-130-Photos/USAF-C-130/2013_Spotlight_Web_C130B_C_130B_BoundaryLayerControl_001_1267828237_8045 and from NASA http://history.nasa.gov/SP-3300/ch8.htm

Herc will probably make it to 100... http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2016/01/14/new-pentagon-contract-signals-lockheed-martins-c-130-airlifter-is-headed-for-100-years-of-service/#2715e4857a0b41d77fdf71fc On that idea, is there talk in the Herc community of an Next Gen Herc? I've seen this concept and it looks like it was pulled from a Lockheed presentation: The article referenced above just made me curious if there was talk of another major update. Not that there is the money for that necessarily...

Foxtrot Alpha has a wrap up of the numbers and a short CBS interview with Sec. Powell http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/operation-desert-storm-by-the-numbers-on-its-25th-anniv-1753347671 25 years, probably 3+ trillion dollars spent, 6000+ KIAs & 250k+ WIAs, let's get to some point we can call it good (whatever that is) and only engage there when either Israel is about to be overrun or the oil supply is about to be cut off. Somehow Europe, Japan, China, etc... buy oil and don't have a huge military footprint there, we can do the same...

Seaplanes... Got way off topic in the China thread on seaplanes but thanks to that diversion I found this gem about some other seaplanes (British) I had not heard of, specifically: Sander-Roe SRA/1 Good historical film and documentary on the biggest seaplanes still operating: Sea Dart is still best idea in the opinion of this aviation nut...

Things might not be that bad: http://alert5.com/2016/01/13/north-korea-faked-the-video-of-slbm-launch-missile-exploded-a-few-seconds-into-the-test/ I am sure they are cursing the yankee imperialist scum for thwarting this triumph of the people but shit happens comrade.

Seamaster was awesome too but if we want to take this thread derailment to it's logical conclusion... On a serious note, it was interesting to see even back in the 50's there was an effort to merge more of the mobility missions into one platform, direct delivery into an austere / difficult AOR and AR for a support CAP