busdriver

Dude, do you not have a freaking map or a VOR receiver? You know that Falcon view has a GPS feed function that works with just about any hand held GPS?

I completely agree, I just don't think the OA-X concept would work in it's current inexpensive mold in the major conventional scenarios in PACAF. Could it? Yes, but you'd have to spend a bunch more money on R&D to make it survivable and still have a reasonable payload and range. I'm going to stop on this point as I don't think I can go any further on this board. I really doubt we'll get all the F-35s big blue wants as well, and a combined purchase of OA-X and 4.5 gen fighters (either more F-16s or F-15s) could fill the numbers gap. I don't have the article in front of me as I'm mid PCS, but if remember right he was thinking several hundred aircraft. It just seems a bit excessive, granted I realize the article was essentially brain-storming and I didn't mean to sound overly critical. I would think something on the order of 200ish aircraft would be appropriate, but then again that's purely a gut reaction. I guess the first question is how large of a major conventional capability do we really need? Then we can add additional "small war" capability.

Blue skies Wizz... That others may live...

CH, If I remember right the AF had already basically fucked up the plan? Something about not being able to actually "give em away" after we'd stood up a small foreign AF.

I'm actually surprised this sort of shit still happens with regard to helos. I thought we had made inroads and dudes were no longer "counseled" when they wanted helos.

If you want a .22 plinker you can always pickup a used 10/22 and go all tacti-cool with it if that's your thing.

I agree, but that's not a PACAF mission that's SOCPAC.

The author has a vision for an extremely large fleet of these aircraft. Way more than I think is warranted. This platform is better served as a FID aircraft to help stand up partner nations and to provide SOF support in a semi-permissive environment. It would also be easier to support small scale expeditionary type endeavors from small austere type airfields. Using it in PACAF? Not so much.

I know what your point was, but I think you really underestimate the dedication those lowly Army NCOs display when they train to operate their lowly Predator. I also think you really over estimate your training. Yes, you graduated UPT, congrats it's a hard fucking program. On the other hand all it really qualifies you to do is learn the next level. You seem to have a huge chip on your shoulder about being a Pred pilot, how hard is it to actually fly a modern aircraft from A to B? Not very fucking hard. The hard part is learning to employ that aircraft to get the mission accomplished. I bet you I could safely fly a Marine Cobra from A to B with about a week of training. Does that mean I could do the Marine CAS mission? I could probably learn to safely fly a predator from A to B in a week, could I be a successful armed ISR pilot in that time? Flying the stupid thing is not the hard part, being a good tactical aviator is the hard part. I get that you're pissed about not actually getting to fly an actual aircraft. I sympathize. But seriously, what you're doing is very valuable to the grunts on the ground, are you saying you don't feel any pride about the peace of mind you provide them?

M2, It's way easier to sneak on an airline than a crazy ass disguise. That whole checking in online thing? Yeah that's a problem.

The Air Force already uses the Army depot system to support the HH-60G, don't know why using it to support the GSC mission would be any different. Would there be some OT&E for the new aircraft? Sure, but assuming the HH-60M (AF version) recap program goes ahead (not holding my breath) the two programs could be married up like they were years ago. I admit I jumped on the Haterade a bit, I bit off on the author linking the Army's use of the Lakota to replacing the Huey. The AW139 is a pretty nice aircraft but I don't think the O&M costs would be that drastically different when you include the existing support structure for the Blackhawk family. But as craino pointed out, the AF procurement system will just fuck it up again.

Not to bag on you but I'm pretty sure the Army doesn't let junior enlisted operate the Warrior Alpha (Pred). Granted NCOs do fly them with Warrant Officer supervision. I don't know the weapons release protocol.

The idea that an EC-135 can replace the Huey is freaking joke. Yeah, the Huey isn't big enough, let's get something smaller. That'll totally work...Who the fuck thinks this shit up?

I never understood the hangup on saluting. It's kind of like the military version of waving, it's just how we greet one another. It's not like you're not saluting back, the lower rank just initiates it. Granted, I have told the LPA to stop calling me sir (I'm a Capt) so take that for what it's worth. Hell I don't care if our back-enders call me by my callsign (most actually go with Capt callsign), I know if I tell them I need you to do X it'll get done, we do generally have a shit-hot group of enlisted folks working in Rescue.

brock, I'm surprised. You of all people should know what the AF is providing in the current fight. Further, if you're of the mind that future conflicts will always be along the lines of fourth generation warfare, I should think you can still find a role for aircraft like the F-22. I'm certainly very separated from air dominance operations, but I can still see a very clear need for the F-22. Fuck me, can you imagine trying to operate in an environment that includes double digit SAMs? Ralph Peters? He seems like a giant blow hard. Fuck him.

Hacker, do you have a quick and dirty version of this? I imagine the prop part has to do with P factor and the way the prop wash interacts with the rudder. The piston thing? Uneven cooling of the cylinders due to yaw angles?

Something the OG said here strikes me: paraphrased, "we've overtaken the Marines as far as local complaints." "They" have to do something to save face with the locals, because let's face it that's what it is really all about. If it was about curbing our own problems, they'd make an example of the problem kids and that would be it. But they need to do something to keep the fence sitters from siding from with the vocal minority. This is all the more a problem given the Futenma relocation crap going on. Assuming there isn't any incidents in the next couple weeks, I'd expect the restrictions to go away. If you've dealt with the Japanese, you'd know appearances are paramount.

Jay-hawk, Sea-Hawk, Night-Hawk, Pave-hawk, Black-hawk, who gives a shit. Honestly I tell folks I fly the Air Force version of a Blackhawk because it's too much of a pain to explain the difference. Kings? Primary mission is PR? Please, you're a fucking tanker, just admit it I I keed I keed. EDIT: Grammar

My guess is they were heavy and drooped the rotor trying to stop a descent. No kidding power available LTE is next to impossible in a Hawk barring extreme stupidity, although goofing around on Lake Tahoe doesn't bode well for their global SA. In any event, that bounce off the water recovery was pure luck.

For her, I'd vibrate

The problems of Air Force leadership have nothing to do with our PT test. We need to stop engaging in a dick measuring contest with every other service and focus on our own. Let's focus on tactical excellence instead of how little I can bench press.

It's also easy to believe they were let go to watch where they end up.

You can want (wish) in one hand and shit in the other, see which one fills up first.

What a great pity it would have been if he'd remained in captivity with his subjects. Someone would have risked all to go get him.

Flooding