Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

What the average time from training on a new aircraft to deployment ?


Don

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

Saw your post as I was ready to post on something different that surprised me which will follow...based on the info I provided concerning the Thai acquisition of the GRIPEN, about one year. See Page #3 Post #21 Item A3. this thread from last years Patch Post input.
Now for the surprise...we'll need to extend the service life of the German F-4 by 13 years as it stands right now. Current end game time is 2000. Before my time, here's a couple of refs. We cannot just increase end time unless it's done as a stop gap. The F-4 in Germany has undergone several upgrades since that need proper evaluation that the Patch Post provides or someone else's version thereof. Right now I have already plenty to support Dec. 2013 or 2014 as the best end date. Here's what got the ball rolling on this, because I thought they went away myself a handful of years ago from the LUFTWAFFE. The last ref is one of the most famous units in the LUFTWAFFE and the CO said for this article 2014, they are the last SDQ. to have and are a little plane heavy. As a side note 20 F-4 have been offered to CROTIA for free to replace their older MiG-21 fighters.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/31107/
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123009465
http://www.touchdown-aviation.com/re...richthofen.php
http://www.touchdown-aviation.com/re...richthofen.php
The pictures are great and I like the idea if possible to at least offer country prototypical photos of equipment where practical and without causing undue stress.

Have to get dinner going, I'm just a multi talented guy and CINCLANTHOME can use the break. ;)

Regards,
Pat

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

Sorry forgot to post the German F-4 UNITS are #293 & #294 for possible immediate or other life extension, sorry for the oversight.

Regards,
Pat

It just happens that the photo used for those German F-4 units are.........

A/ A German F-4's

and

B/ only used by the German OOB

Don

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

In the case of the F-35 pick a random number and multiply by ten:- The following extracts are from Air International Feb issue.
"In far bigger trouble is the F-35A or JSF. It was once scheduled to begin training pilots and maintainers at the 33rd Fighter Wing the 'Nomads' at Elgin AFB, Florida in November 2009 but is still not doing so."

"The F-35As belatedly started to arrive at Elgin last July, beginning with aircraft 08-0747. The base had half a dozen F-35As by mid-October, the sixth being aircraft 08-0751. But Michael Gilmore the Pentagon's test and evaluation boss, decreed that no one but a qualified test pilot could safely operate the fighters. Not a single F-35A sortie has been flown at Elgin."

"The Marine Corps F-35B is in greater jeopardy than the Air Force F-35A. General Norton Schwartz USAF chief of staff has hinted strongly that the latter is a proven commodity- despite the paralysis at Elgin - and that he would gladly save the the F-35A, even if the F-35B is offered up on the altar of defence cuts."

Regards, Warwick

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

What else is new?
Everyone "knows" the USAF "should" have total control over all aircraft assets in the USA.
Heck, the US Navy may even like the new 5x larger aircraft carriers "essential" for air operations since there is no way USAF pilots could "safely" land on the current ones.

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

In my further efforts to provide timely information you'll be glad to know in regards to the F-35 the NAVY is leading the way-no surprise, did we not give you "An Officer and a Gentleman", "Top Gun", "TORA TORA" or "The Bridges at Toko-Rei(?)" anyway the program had a decent year in testing however many major issues were identified as well such as airframe cracks at 2000 hrs. vs. design at 8000 hrs. This document talks of delays from 2-15 yrs. for the programs covered. So I offer some med. to heavy reading. I recommend the Directors Intro, DOD programs for F-35 and others, USAF Programs you might find the
F-22 section most interesting, on the surface of it they seem "to be all in" on the F-22 and other U.S. programs of interest to you under the service headings. I think under the USA section was some mention of the successful TRUCK programs some might find interesting. :smirk:. And this is as official as it gets...
http://www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/FY2011/

And these next few provide some interesting analysis, of course, if you have been paying attention you'll already realize what the outcome was of the first issue brought up here...
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...-Taiwan-07106/
If not...
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/31242/
Next...
http://defense-update.com/20111213_d...r_defense.html
Bombs Away!...
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...II-Bombs-07017/
Ahhh the Maple Leaf...
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...n-fighter-jets

Well that should keep you busy for awhile it did me anyway and CINCLANTHOME says I have a "Big Storage Unit" on my shoulders though that could be interpreted many ways and all so true!?!

Regards,
Pat

Don,
A bonus for you and the rest of you designers this program is moving forward...
http://defense-update.com/20111216_a...beersheba.html

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

This is the addendum to the last post. The ref is the SUN article concerning the shipping out of the UK HARRIERS and as noted earlier the GR.7 was RESET to the GR.9 standard. For as much as I hate to say it as we (The U.S.) benefited from the sale and given the recent UK events surrounding the F-35B (Dropped for the for the F-35C.) and the Billions of Pounds spent to RESET the GR.7 & GR.9 HARRIERS (We paid 110 million Pounds all 72 jets.), you have to wonder if there's not some second guessing going on there over the whole situation. Well you know what they say "Hindsight is 20/20" and again might apply here.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle4049164.ece

For the CORPS they'll keep them flying until 2025+. But airframes are spares as well so by definition so will the UK versions because of the RESET completed in 2010 which is newer to the last such upgrades done to the AV-8 (Though electronic upgrades are on going at this time I believe.) unless my "learnard" friend from the CORPS has other info.

Anyway as Gen. Sherman or his staff referring to him would say
"I'm in high feather." today as Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off to work I go with a ...this is where you whistle...Hi Ho Hi Ho!! I really like those guys!?!

Regards,
Pat

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

Here's more then any sane person would want to know.

All USMC AV-8's upgraded to AV-8B Harrier II+ by 2003.

Vertical takeoff
Operational range 90 nautical miles with 3,062 kg of ordnance

Short takeoff (366 m)
Operational range 163 nautical miles with 14,061 kg of ordnance, 1 hour loiter

APG-65 radar system
Tracor ALE-39 countermeasures dispensers (x4)
7 hardpoints (6 underwing, 1 centerline, 13,200# of ordnance)
AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-84 Harpoon
AIM-9 Sidewinder (max 4)
AIM-120 AMRAAM (max 4)
Conventional bombs (Mk 83, GBU-12, GBU-16, CBU-99/100, napalm)

Boeing Aircraft Data

AN/AAQ-28V LITENING targeting pod (FLIR, CCD camera, laser designator, automatic target tracker)
LITENING II (1999, third generation FLIR)
LITENING ER (2001, extended the target detection range)
LITENING AT (2003, further extends target detection range, improved targeting accuracy)
LITENING G4 (2008, new sensors, advanced target recognition, available in a kit form that allows upgrade of currently fielded pods)

November 2007
Upgrade wiring and software to employ MIL-STD-1760 bus-based smart weapons, such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions.

JDAM Upgrade

Not sure if this can (or should) be incorporated into WinSPMBT.

Intrepid Tiger II is the Corps’ homegrown jammer meant to disrupt IED radio detonators and intercept enemy communications. The Marines hope to put on UH-1 and AH-1 helos and are even testing a smaller version of the device on the RQ-7 Shadow UAV.

Marine Corps Times
Defense Tech

Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
 

Suhiir,
This is overdue, great info here especially on the LITENING Pods. The LITENING G4 was the advance needed to fully bring it up to par with SNIPER. Thanks again! If 2011 is any indication I'll starting on the 2012/2013 campaign sooner then planned. Time to "Troop Up" as pops used to say or code for you better get off your "as" before well you know!?! :rolleyes:

Regards,
Pat