Interesting..so the F-35 is the naval air superiority counterpart. Sounds like the A10 program is just getting axed, with traditionally armored fighter/bomber aircraft or choppers assuming that duty.
No. The F-35 will be taking the role of the F/A-18 A/B/C/D (the F/A 18 E/F/G is different) in the Navy and the AV-8 in the Marine Corps.
It will replace the F-16 C/D and A-10 in the USAF. Everyone needs to keep in mind that the A-10 is rapidly approaching the end of its service life. Many of them are undergoing upgrade to A-10C standard which gives them a better night attack capability and there is also a rewinging program ongoing. Those things aren't made like people think. Construction wise, they have more in common with a Cessna that an F-16. They have seen use in at least four major conflicts and are now tired old birds.
The C-17 had a problem when it crossed the equator. That's why we test them in the real world. In the case of the F-22 it was just a programming error that was fixed pretty quickly. I was there so I know how it was done.
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Originally Posted by jbourque
Are you a pilot? You seem well informed.
No, I was in the Low Observables shop at Nellis AFB and Langley AFB. I started training at Edwards AFB in 2001 and worked the aircraft at Edwards, Nellis, Langley and Elmendorf with a quick trip to Hickam to help clear up that mess.
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Originally Posted by MLU
he's a mechanic which means he's even more informed.
I saw A-10 s in action in Iraq. I love those planes, they have great intimidation factor to enemy troops when they hear/see the huge gun on the nose.
That's the thing! Since the A-10's GAU-8 Avenger's rounds travel faster than the speed of sound, the enemies are already dead before they would have been able to hear or see anything.
The C-17 had a problem when it crossed the equator. That's why we test them in the real world. In the case of the F-22 it was just a programming error that was fixed pretty quickly. I was there so I know how it was done.
You have to admit that's pretty embarrassing. I know us folks in the F-15 community had a nice chuckle about that deployment.
At the Senate hearing Tuesday, lawmakers learned that the top brass of the Air Force has issued a directive that the two pilots who appeared, Captain Josh Wilson and Major Jeremy Gordon, should not be retaliated against.
This is significant because both men faced potential disciplinary action for choosing not to fly the jet over health concerns, and because proceedings have begun already against one of them, Captain Wilson.
When Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown asked General Janet Wolfenbarger to confirm there would be no retaliation against the two pilots, Wolfenbarger said "absolutely" not.
"There is clearly the whistleblower protection, the statute that protects those folks," Wolfenbarger elaborated, adding that she considered the two pilots whistleblowers. "Our chief and our secretary have made that understood in our Air Force."
Interesting..so the F-35 is the naval air superiority counterpart. Sounds like the A10 program is just getting axed, with traditionally armored fighter/bomber aircraft or choppers assuming that duty.
That's amazing that the F-16's will still be rolling until 2035. That means third world countries will still be using them until 2050 at least probably, what a run for that design and a testament to it.
Between the F-14, 15, 16, and 18, we sure did pump out some amazing fighters, all within a decade. The poor F-17 must feel like the redheaded stepchild sometimes.
Between the F-14, 15, 16, and 18, we sure did pump out some amazing fighters, all within a decade. The poor F-17 must feel like the redheaded stepchild sometimes.
Good one ! Well, the YF-17 was the prototype for what would become the F-18.
A close friend that has been a flight attendant for 22 years tells me all the time how pilots have mentioned that they hate flying the Air Bus planes.
They said that the plane is always fighting whatever they try to do.
Depends on the pilot. I know plenty that love to fly he Airbus as well because a lot of the menial tasks a pilot has to do is automated. There is a lot less fatigue involved in flying an Airbus.
Pilots that hate to fly the Airbus are usually the the pilots who have the strongest type-A personalities, IMO. They just hate the idea that a computer knows better than them. You watch an MD80 and a A320 land and you can tell which one is being flown by a computer and which one is being flown by hand. The landing by the Airbus is as smooth as glass.
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Originally Posted by staphory
No. The F-35 will be taking the role of the F/A-18 A/B/C/D (the F/A 18 E/F/G is different) in the Navy and the AV-8 in the Marine Corps.
It will replace the F-16 C/D and A-10 in the USAF. Everyone needs to keep in mind that the A-10 is rapidly approaching the end of its service life. Many of them are undergoing upgrade to A-10C standard which gives them a better night attack capability and there is also a rewinging program ongoing. Those things aren't made like people think. Construction wise, they have more in common with a Cessna that an F-16. They have seen use in at least four major conflicts and are now tired old birds.
If there are birds in heaven, I hope they're all A-10s: the baddest MFer in the skies. Ever. A long time ago I saw a home movie made by an acquaintance deployed to Iraq the first time around. He walked out on the wing of an A-10 and then dropped right through a hole in the wing. He said that it had been flying a mission all day long like that. They slapped a patch on it and sent it back out a couple days later with the rivets/pins (terminology?) still sticking out of it.
They need to start the assembly line back up...
__________________
Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies. ~ Nietzsche
If there are birds in heaven, I hope they're all A-10s: the baddest MFer in the skies. Ever. A long time ago I saw a home movie made by an acquaintance deployed to Iraq the first time around. He walked out on the wing of an A-10 and then dropped right through a hole in the wing. He said that it had been flying a mission all day long like that. They slapped a patch on it and sent it back out a couple days later with the rivets/pins (terminology?) still sticking out of it.
They need to start the assembly line back up...
Agreed. The A-10 is one of my all-time favorite aircraft. It's the only plane that's built around a (big, lethal, supersonic bullet firing) gun. Plus, it's built really tough like you already mentioned. I don't see how in the world the USAF thinks that the F-35 will be able to replace it.
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Originally Posted by jbourque
Like standing still in the sky. I think it's called vertical hovering.
Yep, I've been to many airshows and it never gets old to see a multi-ton metal bird of prey basically standing still in the air. Here's a clip I found on YT. It's even more impressive live. Be sure to turn down the volume as the recorded sound is LOUD.....as you can imagine:
Yep, I've been to many airshows and it never gets old to see a multi-ton metal bird of prey basically standing still in the air. Here's a clip I found on YT. It's even more impressive live. Be sure to turn down the volume as the recorded sound is LOUD.....as you can imagine:
The closest to a hover I have seen in a fighter aircraft is the A-10 doing a slow pass at about 50 mph.
__________________
Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies. ~ Nietzsche
Even as the Air Force searches for the reason pilots are getting sick flying the F-22, a new mystery about the troubled stealth fighter jet has come to light: Why are mechanics on the ground getting sick in the plane as well?
! Well, the YF-17 was the prototype for what would become the F-18.
Time flies when you're having rum.
Agreed. The A-10 is one of my all-time favorite aircraft. It's the only plane that's built around a (big, lethal, supersonic bullet firing) gun. Plus, it's built really tough like you already mentioned. I don't see how in the world the USAF thinks that the F-35 will be able to replace it.
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