Obama says kill the new bomber and delay the tanker

[JungleJett]

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003070256

 

[whalefat]

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003070256

We're too busy with wealth redistribution and social justice to care about these minor issues. The Air Force needs to replace more than just those two aircraft.... I don't know why I ever had the feeling that I'll fly 135s for the next sixteen years.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

R U on the KC-135T??

I flew the -R.

cliff
GRB

 

[satpak77]

I can see new tankers, but another bomber? what is wrong with the $1 Billion each B-2?

 

[hindsight2020]

I can see new tankers, but another bomber? what is wrong with the $1 Billion each B-2?

Um, 20 B-2s can't hack the whole mish. They're expensive as hell and have abysmal MC rates. The B-1s have got the chit flown out of them; they're literally canibalizing the fleet to keep up. The Buffs are so old it's painful to fly (I'd know..) and meet, at best, a permissive environment requirement. Anything more than that I might as well take a freggin' B-24 with me cause that's about the edge I got in that gunfight. I'd literally be better off taking an FB-111 from the boneyard today, no questions asked (at least it'd take less people than the Titanic to take a heading, forget glass panel).

The bomber fleet is not doing substantially better than the tanker fleet I'm afraid....

 

[Otto77]

Well this is great. Basically they are waiting to lose a crew and a plane. Oh the crew loss wont be a big deal to them but a loss of a tanker especially a KC10 would be a big loss for mobility etc.

As for the bombers..sure what country needs to worry about securing air dominance and advancing technology (extreme sarcasm). We are too worried about taking money and passing it out to others.

CHANGE you can believe in.........

 

[LR25]

Why do we need bombers?

M1 tanks?

Balistic missles?

Arent those things used for war, atleast preventing a war?

The US has shown we will NEVER uphold our sovrienty, much less use our arsenal to go to war.

We (the USA) have shown that we will not react militarily when needed. Anybody recall what happened with the pirats in the Indian Ocean when the US Navy just sat and watched while the Indian Navy had to come out and lob a few rounds to destroy the pirate mother ship.

So what good are bombers, carriers, missles?

Pathetic!

 

[whalefat]

You don't have the first clue what you're talking about. We don't make political decisions for the most part. Sounds like you're just trying to stir up trouble, facts show that you're just an ignorant... you not the first and won't be the last to put on that kind of humiliating display.

 

[Buckeye]

Under the current administration the military will be veiwed like supplemental insurance, the longer we go with using the less likely we need it. Plus the current administration wouldn't know or understand anything to do with strategic planning or fleet replenishment...hell they can't pay their taxes let alone figure out the economy.

 

[LR25]

You don't have the first clue what you're talking about. We don't make political decisions for the most part. Sounds like you're just trying to stir up trouble, facts show that you're just an ignorant... you not the first and won't be the last to put on that kind of humiliating display.

I guess that was directed my way?

I do know what I am talking about.

This site where people write alot of opinion, its just that.

If I am wrong with the very limited example I gave, then you can disprove it. Be my guest.

Simple fact is, there are no more warriors running our miltaries, but instead Harvard grads or other Ivey leauge suits.

Something tells me your not going to disprove, your just another opinion based aggitator.

I just read the facts. I'm the messenger. I'll be waiting for you to call BS on me.

I'll fore warn, if your not a student of history, you might want to have the google standing by.

Also, I never was directing my comment towards Commanders on site, I have nothing but respect for the uniform and the brave men and women serving.

 

[pilotyip]

Yes but we can buy what, 300 AC-12's of the cost of 1 B-1? Think of all the rated billets that opens up.

 

[Redmeat]

Our two biggest long term threats, China and India, will not beat us with bombers. They will beat us with economic strategy.

Have you counted how many cars are in the parking lot of your local Walmart?

 

[satpak77]

tankers I can see, yes (kinda like gas stations)

bombers, I am wishy washy on. I don't know if we need to build a brand new bomber, with R/D time, cost, etc etc. We are talking 10 years from drawing board to flightline.

my 2 cents

 

[timmay]

The only good thing that could come out of this is if the Pentagon can learn to cut out all the red tape on these new designs thus lowering costs dramatically. When the Skunk Works built the SR71 (in my opinion the single greatest achievement in aviation since the Wright Bros.) it took them only 18 months to have the airplane flying today without computers! Now it takes close to 10 years. It has gotten so bad most companies are avoiding the military contracts all together. The original cost of the B2 was supposed to be under 500M after all the red tape it now is approaching 2 Billion a copy. I read the government stores warehouses full of paperwork from auditors on these airplanes that nobody has ever read and just like the economy the spending cant go on forever.

 

[LR25]

The B-52 was drawn on a napkin, made into a balsa model the next day.

And when the last rivet was smashed into place, it looked almost identical to that balsa model.

What minds!

And aggreed, Kelly Johnson was a man way ahead of his time.

The P-51 was also another incredible story. From drawings to flight, less than 6 months.

 

[AvroGuy]

both of you guys are describing single mission aircraft. It is easier to do that than it is today. Now a new design has to be multi-mission capable. what ever that is for a bomber..Maybe lowlevel as well as high alt bombing. what ever. When Kelley Johnson was around, they gave him a requirement and kept it at that requirement. Didn't change it every few months forcing the company to redesign. That is what is wrong now.

 

[deadstick]

When Kelley Johnson was around, they gave him a requirement and kept it at that requirement. Didn't change it every few months forcing the company to redesign. That is what is wrong now.

Bingo!

The Army is 1 for 3 in the new helicopter game. ARH and Comanche both died because of this. It took the ARH only 3 years after the 20+ yr debacle that was the Comanche. The Lakota (1 "success") is an off-the-shelf Euro-whopper that, from what I understand, is coming up short. One issue is 130 degree interior temp, no a/c, and you have to keep the doors on/closed. That's great for a medevac -- now everybody gets heat stroke, too.

 

[DOVPILOT]

Where's he next Ronny Reagan when you need him!!!:uzi: Obama uh.

 

[SSDD]

Wouldn't building airplanes create/sustain high paying manufacturing jobs?

I'm just saying...

 

[LR25]

Wouldn't building airplanes create/sustain high paying manufacturing jobs?

I'm just saying...

Sure, in China, India.

Oh, you meant right here in the USA. Them days are over.

Heck, our Gov. cant even get US built heli's to replace the H-3's for Marine 1.