Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Well since someone has left me doing Post #500 I might as well do it, with all my THANKS for making that possible!!

First is a follow-up too the many posts I've done over the years that guarantees the A-10 will still be flying through and just beyond the "20's". The last jet has been "re-winged" with 173 A-10C jets fully operational. The wings were taking a beating due to the combination of age and OPTEMPO. Besides the obvious flight advantages, it's ability to maneuver with a full payload has been restored w/o restrictions.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com...program-03187/

What I LOVE ABOUT "DID", is that they continually update their stories and provide those refs within, end of a section etc. or at the end of the article or both. This next is so long it's everywhere in the article.

The "tagline" is in the fact the F-35 will be going to Europe to get some "exercise" in some upcoming NATO Exercises. This all well and good however, what caught my eye was within the following section of the Ref., "The F-35 Family: Controversies and Competitions" all I'll say is I feel vindicated after pointing out many of these issues over the years with the AUSA Think Tank article I posted I can't even remember how many years ago and since.

A year or two ago I posted from various sources what capabilities define a 5th GEN Fighter and I stated even before that the F-35 after one of it's last final redesigns, was not one. The F-35 is no better then on par with the F-15SE, except that the last is still with the recent upgrades done system wide in recent years a much better air superiority fighter then the F-35.

For prospective the GRIPEN NG meets the requirements more closely to being a 5th GEN Fighter/Bomber (I acknowledge it carries a smaller payload, however, the point is a Fighter/Bomber is designed to fight its way in, drop the ordnance and fight it's way home again, if necessary.)

I believe there were five points that determined what made a jet a 5th GEN capable aircraft. And their are only two known aircraft that meet ALL five and they are the F-22 and B-2 Bomber.

The F-35 misses the mark with at least two major ones as taken from the Ref. and section noted above.

"The F-35’s design is optimized for “low-observable” stealth when viewed from the front, with less stealth to radars looking at it from the sides, and less still when targeted from the rear. It also lacks the Raptor’s supercruise (sustained flight above Mach 1) and super-maneuverability thrust-vectoring options, which work with stealth to help the F-22 engage and disengage from combat at will. Lockheed Martin claims that the F-35 design is optimized for trans-sonic acceleration, but testing results question those claims, and the Raptor can cruise without afterburners at the F-35’s theoretical maximum speed. That’s important, because fuel usage skyrockets with afterburners on, limiting total supersonic time for fighters like the F-35.

The GRIPEN NG does have "supercruise" and the "super-maneuverability thrust-vectoring options" but these factors help determine and for aircraft in the game, the all important EW Level. The GRIPEN NG and possibility 1 Russian jet and some say the F-15SE (Though I'm more cautious about that.) are the only 4th GEN++{+} planes in the air.

Needless to say I'll be taking a hard look at the F-35 in EW category.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com...m-edit-037947/
https://www.ausairpower.net/research.html
https://www.ausairpower.net/raptor.html
https://www.ausairpower.net/jsf.html

It's a standard I try to live up as much as possible per Ref. 2. I still make mistakes, I just do the best I can and maintain my standards, so to the rest, "Read'em and Weep".

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Well John (Imp) if your looking in it seems our discussion concerning Taiwan is going to come true at least on the air side of things. Apparently the Trump Administration has approved the sale of F-16 Fighters to Taiwan. If approved by Congress and I believe it will, this will the largest weapons acquisition deal in about 30 years with Taiwan.

I've been reporting that I feel the version that'll be offered is the F-16V which is a "Souped Up" F-16 BLOCK 50/52.

This is not the latest version there are two newer types the F-16 Block 60 which the UAE owns and the newest platform being the F-16 Block 70 which has been ordered by Bahrain. The last will be the version the USAF is most likely to upgrade their fleet to as well in the near future.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com...ization-04250/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...-first-flight/
https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/...ighter-market/
http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news.html

We should know sometime in Oct./Nov. about the Jets.

The ABRAMS I would think a short time after the New Year.

Interesting times are these days we're living in!?!

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

The F-16V was added to the Taiwan OOB last release.......

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Thank You! That'll make it easy with just a simple date change to the right. My timeline for a decision is simply based on the fact that Congress is in Summer recess until after Labor Day here. Looks like they'll also need the F-16C/D in the OOB, that'll be around until games end. My understanding once (If) they get the new or start getting them, their F-16C/D will be overhauled, again, to what we think will be the F-16V.

This should an interesting story to follow.

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I brought this up in Post #502 above, now JANE's is reporting that Taiwan could be the second customer behind Bahrain to fly the most advanced F-16 version in the world, the F-16 BLOCK 70. These will be new airframes designed to fly until 2070. They will have onboard many of the electronic components used on the F-22.

First from JANE's....
https://www.janes.com/article/90631/...caf-operations

For perspective...
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/f-16.html
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...has-f-22-26419

More about the jet and Bahraini deal and mostly for the 5 articles at the very bottom. Also Don I haven't forgotten about you there's a couple of great shots of Bahrain's F-16 jets in the air in their camo! We like doing pictures!!
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...existing-fleet

China has indicated these particular fighters would be a "red line" for them. Maybe theirs aren't so good after all.

Regards,
Pat

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by FASTBOAT TOUGH

"The F-35’s design is optimized for “low-observable” stealth when viewed from the front, with less stealth to radars looking at it from the sides, and less still when targeted from the rear. It also lacks the Raptor’s supercruise (sustained flight above Mach 1) and super-maneuverability thrust-vectoring options, which work with stealth to help the F-22 engage and disengage from combat at will. Lockheed Martin claims that the F-35 design is optimized for trans-sonic acceleration, but testing results question those claims, and the Raptor can cruise without afterburners at the F-35’s theoretical maximum speed. That’s important, because fuel usage skyrockets with afterburners on, limiting total supersonic time for fighters like the F-35.

In theory (always love that word ) as a ground attack aircraft F-35s should be escorted my fighters to it's flanks and above so there shouldn't be much threat to it's sides. If someone's behind you that's ALWAYS a problem, and it's not like you can outrun (unless you're in an SR-71) most air-to-air missiles or SAMs in the first place. The frontal-arc stealth is exactly what's needed to "hide" from whatever is in it's target area.

I keep trying to stress the F-35 IS NOT a "fighter" (I know most here understand that, but "Joe Average" can't quite seem to figure it out). It's a replacement for the A-10 and F-15/16 in ground attack roles.

[Imp]

I would say low observability from the front only makes it a very specific plane patrolling etc with it is pointless, perhaps one to direct cheaper planes with its radar. It’s mission is simple point the nose at the enemy and attack this is a SEAD aircraft if ever there was one.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

By way of an update, the U.S./TAIWAN deal for the latest version of the F-16 fighter is still on track and as the lead article indicates the Taiwanese government is clearing the last hurdles to ensure these planes will be fully funded. This plane will be more capable then the current models as part of this deal will include the latest munitions pkg. available.

Also note under the "Contracts Section 2014-2019" that these pods will give those jets "game wise" a TI/GSR value of at least 40 minimum.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com...ization-04250/

Unfortunately no news on the M1A2. Though Taiwan is prepared to go forward with this deal, we might be taking a more political look at the "big picture" on these deals allowing for my thought process, I can foresee that with these jets Taiwan will close the gap/or reach parody with China, also remember as already posted above, these jets are designed to operate until 2070. With that in mind, I can see the tank deal potentially, being put off a couple of years at least with supplying them with additional JAVELINS to maybe even include "older" BRADLEYS instead.

It's again just a possibility or option I can see.

Remember we've already sold them a whole "bunch" of JAVELINS already.

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I was going to post some stuff before heading out of town later this week but, not sure as some things have come up.

But I just checked my papers and came across this significant article concerning the F/A-18 HORNET specifically the A-D series versions.

They are ALL retired as of 2 Oct 2019 from the USN. They will remain operational with the USN Reserves and Blue Angels (Non game issue for both.) but, more importantly for the game the USMC will still be flying them.

As normal, DID puts their links within the articles/paras etc.

From the "lead" as quoted, note where the links are in the article are shown as highlighted below...
"October 8/19: Retirement The US Navy has retired its fleet of Boeing F/A-18A-D Hornet combat aircraft from active service. The USN announced on October 2 that the final flight took place out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The retirement of the ‘classic’ Hornets brings 35 years of frontline service with the USN to an end and comes just over a year since the service performed its final carrier deployment of the type earlier in 2018. While the Hornet has been retired from the USN’s active unit inventory, it will remain operational with the Navy Reserve, the Blue Angels display team, and the US Marine Corps (USMC)."
The F/A-18 E/F and F/A-18G are still operational and will be for at least 10 or more years.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com...-flying-02816/

NAVAIR has not started reporting any stories for Oct. as of this very moment. However one of the last stories for the month of Sep. concerning the maintenance of the AV-8B indicates the "last" major maintenance cycle should be or is expected to completed by the end of 2021.

This simply means it'll be around after games end. I thought I came across an article awhile back that indicated a targeted retirement date of 2028.

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

The ONLY reason I'm posting this, as I consider the matter closed on the F/A-18E/F HORNETS, is to show in the very first story listed (0ctober14/19:Rudders) what it replaced/what makes it different from the F/A-18A-D series ("Classic") and finally a fine comparison to the A-6 INTRUDER which was the USN's top SEAD/BOMBER for so many years leading up to it's retirement in the 90's. I found it to be somewhat worthwhile for only being a para long.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com...-flying-02816/

Regards,
Pat