Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.

[Warwick]

Originally Posted by DRG

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


Don

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

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Warwick

"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

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.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

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. . 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

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

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