Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

News from the LW+

1. Always wanted that swimming pool but were concerned about how long it would take just to clear your property and dig the hole?
Well the USAF has the solution for you, called Big BLU by some!!
With Big BLU you'll even be able to go deep diving! Seriously this could be the most effective "perpetrator" bomb ever designed. The primary platforms are the B-52H and B-2. It is in low rate production. Well maybe the GBU-43 MOAB (Mother Of All Bombs) might be better to clear your property with.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...nd-bomb-03172/
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...tions/moab.htm

2. MOD: The B-1B is being modified to carry triple it's normal bomb load. Ouch!!
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23620/

3. Do we want to add these weapons to the collection? SLAM ER, SDB II are here.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23620/
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23395/
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...etition-06510/

4. MOD?: TYPOON gets new weapons in the precision guided air to surface category. The Germany, Spain and Italy will soon use the EGBU-16 while the UK has chosen the PAVEWAY II. Current load to be at 6 of these missile types, see inset photo for layout.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23587/

5. Remember what I said about India watching events in Libya to make a decision about it's MMRCA Program? Well it's in the last post of this thread, but it seems they're not the only ones as, France and the U.S. are expressing serious interest in the BRIMSTONE Multi-Purpose ATGW Air to Ground Missile.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...18&c=AME&s=AIR

6. China developing the J-18 VSTOL Fighter, probably are CBS News here showed a video of the J-15 which will be a carrier based jet reversed engineered from one purchased by the Ukraine
(Su-33? Also as part of the Carrier deal.) as Russia would not sell the jet themselves to the Chinese.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...65&c=ASI&s=AIR

7. MOD: F-35 news in order of refs, 1. F-35 by law is critically over budget. 2. U.S. Program Manager indicates the program is still in trouble and delayed again with testing now through 2016 and fielded by 2018. 3. Norwegian political parties calling for a cost review. Canada is doing this now as well as already reported on in this thread. 4. F-35B moving on.
http://www.defense.gov/releases/rele...eleaseid=14411
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...85&c=AME&s=AIR
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...20policy&s=TOP
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23933/

Finally as it's getting late and it was a long hot day today, we say goodbye to another piece of equipment that has served it's country well for over 25 years.

8. The F3 TORNADO shown here , sorry wrong one and we've seen unfortunately enough of these here over the last few weeks ourselves, anyway it has served as the primary Interceptor for the RAF over the UK for the last 25 years. It will be replaced by the recently upgraded GR.4 TORNADO's which is the FB version of the TORNADO. The F3 was planned to be retired this year for sometime but, was moved along for cost savings. So as with the GR.4 HARRIER, to the air and ground crews of the F3 TORNADO we salute you for a job well done!! Us "Bubbleheads" are such nice people.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/tornadof3.cfm
http://www.globalaviationresource.co...retirement.php
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/tornado/
Pics:


FOLLOW UP HERE!!
Regards,
Pat

[Marcello]

2. MOD: The B-1B is being modified to carry triple it's normal bomb load. Ouch!!
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23620/

Something similar was done to the B-2 some time ago. A korean driven modification in all likelyhood.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

In my last post #31; Item 1. , is the perfect example of how to spell check your way to "stupidity" , of course "perpetrator" should've read "penetrative". To our friends across the pond, thank you and congradulations for a wonderful day yesterday! It was good to see something positive for a change in the news, it would've been made only better if the shuttle would've lifted off on schedule with it's back story as well.

Good Night/Morning!

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

"how to spell check your way to "stupidity" "



Been there........done that.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

News of the LW+

1. The first serial Su-35S (PAK-FA) takes flight.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/24221/

2. Electronics, improved avionics and expected future areas of operations have brought the light attack aircraft back into favor with many "major" air forces again. Could the AT-6 be the answer for the USAF?
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23995/

3. ADD: Will need to confirm this against the OOB list but this buy could make the list.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23945/

4. MOD: With strong Russian support and delays in other programs the IAF is looking to upgrade it's MIG-29 fighters.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...updated-01879/

5. Well some might have scuffed at the notion I presented over the last few weeks about India watching events in Libya to narrow the field of competition in it's MMRCA Program. Well the signs were there you just had to pay attention. The no shows were eliminated (See earlier posts this thread.) and then there were three except one was also a no show at the dance as well.
Though except for a radar issue it might've moved on, I guess Thailand was more patient.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/23959/

So India has finally narrowed the field to two and they are performing at the Libyan dance to some degree better then expected as are some of the weapons, BRIMSTONE in particular (See previous post I believe.) is getting attention by others. There's some good reading here!
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...changes-01989/
http://ajaishukla.blogspot.com/2011/...s-article.html
http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/...a32eb454a62c92

6. I don't know when these were released but a little bonus from CINCLANTHOME off the Facebook site of my old boat the USS Providence SSN-719. All info is from the site and I was there.

A. June 1987 the score is 2-0 the USN fly-boys are winning the game. Gaddafi told us if you cross the "line of death" in the Gulf of Sudra we would suffer the consequences. Well we didn't listen. This was meant to be a media event covered by something called CNN back then, but the situation was too hot.
MK-48 vs Ex-USN/Decommissioned Italian destroyer that was watertight with instrumentation on-board to measure the affects of flooding etc.
Pics:


B. Off the coast of Port Canaveral FL. in 1988 the Providence was the first VLS boat in the fleet and as told by my old CO at my retirement ceremony we didn't know that as the picture shows the missile was going to go back "over our heads" needless to say it caused some excitement for the chase planes!
Pic:


It was a great way to make a living but, it's good to be home.

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

News of LW.

1. USAF looking into Light Attack planes again.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/24453/
Pic:


2. First production F-35 delivered to the USAF for further evaluation.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/24328/

3. With the START Treaty now in effect the numbers game can now begin. Non Nuclear use seen for B-52H and B-2 bombers from reduced Nuclear force.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/20...mbers-050911w/

4. The BUFF will keep flying until 2040.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...ization-06583/
Pics:


5. SU-35S begins flight testing.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...No-More-04969/
Pic:


6. Something a little different here, the FIREBIRD MALE.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener..._p0-318896.xml

7. Pilot-less and very stealthy, the X-45 UCAV.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...5-UCAVs-05421/
Pic:


Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

1. Well at least "To big to fail" might have worked for the banks in 2008 (And that might not happen again-the bailout.) but in the area of defence the highway is littered with programs that have such as the EFV, U.S. SLAMRAAM (Development phase completed, to avoid program termination penalties.) and the most expensive yet MEADS (Funded to FY13 to complete developmental phase to avoid 100's of millions of dollars in program termination fees itself.) The F-35 AGAIN finds itself in the spot light for all the wrong reasons this past week due to cost overruns, program delays, per unit costs that have almost more than doubled and as part of the GAO report that cited the maintenance costs are going to be much higher then expected. All this has already been posted here in the last few weeks. It is NOT a good idea to have one of the most powerful Senators and supporter of the military call your program into question especially during these fiscal times. And if your Lockheed Martin I'd be very concerned over the amount of funding has all of a sudden gone into the F-22 and the fact that several of your potential customers for the F-35 have openly stated they would rather buy the F-22 over your plane. It kind of has to make you really think of why we won't sell an export version of the F-22 but we'll do so with the F-35. Makes you wonder which is really the better fighter doesn't it? But then I've already posted that here as well from one of the most respected aviation think tanks in the world with their analysis of the jets in question and a couple of others. You can pull up the full GAO report at the bottom of the first ref. Again with DEFPRO sources are listed in the upper upper right corner.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/24686/
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/24736/
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/jsf/

A. The F-22 picture, though not always a pretty one either, it's advantage it's already here and we're committed to it.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...updated-02908/
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/f22/

B. See Post #9 last item on bottom for PAK-FA, F-22 and F-35 combat analisis both are good reading, again AUSA is a highly respected avaition think tank.

2. India buys some new bombs, and my answer to the question I think will be a deciding factor in the MMRCA competition. Of note this is a standard weapon already carried by the B-52H,
B-1B and B-2 bombers.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...hup-***-05100/

Regards,
Pat

[Marcello]

I believe the reasoning was that the F-22 was to be the tip of the spear, sweeping the skies of enemy fighters. The F-35 was to be the less capable/expensive workhorse. Selling the latter instead of the former made sense as foreign sales increase the chance of it being compromised by foreign intelligence: iranian F-14s anyone? Better risk the F-35 rather than the F-22.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

1. They won't except NO for an answer.
http://ajaishukla.blogspot.com/2011/...to-return.html

2. F-35C.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...e-us-navy.html

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Another "resting" piece of equipment awaiting a final delivery date before posting to the PP for game inclusion. The Czech and Iraqi governments are very close to a deal to send about 25 L-159A MP Light Attack aircraft to Iraq. These are very capable and modern aircraft that can handle NATO ordnance. Also will recheck, but it appears this might be an add for Czechoslovakia and Hungry(?) as well though they've been in service since around 2000. Ref A check under Iraqi Air Force section.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...920/#more-6920
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/l159/
http://www.airforce-technology.com/p...159/specs.html
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...od-home-03494/
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/24770/
http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110419/163588129.html

Pics:


Regards,
Pat
UPDATE: for CAF it'll be a mod to add an extra 20mm cannon it has two of them. For Hungry the L-159A will be an ADD.
FOLLOW UP FOR IRAQI DEAL.