BRAC Question?

[popgoesbubble]

Magnum/Scrapdog are your F-22's wired for AIM-9X and JHMCS? I also heard somewhere that you guys are Voice line only? No Link 16 terminals is this a problem or a non issue for you guys? or was this designed back when the F-22 was designed for the Air-Air role only?

It would seem to me that with the Air to ground role your developing GBU-32 and GBU-39/B that having Link 16 would allow you the benefit of using ISR assets like E-8's and RC-135 to feed targets via data link or have you guys evolved passed Link 16 with something that is still black?

Also was it a challenge going from the Sim straight to the aircraft since there's no B models.

Thanks for for any info guys

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I've talked to a couple of current 102nd FW guys about the whole deal at Otis. Apparently, it will be cheaper over the "long-haul" to operate the F-15s out of Barnes than at Otis because they will have more part-timers vs. "Guard bums" in the flying squadron. I think that there was also some discussion about the fact that it cost too much money to operate the airfield as a dedicated Air National Guard base. Ironically, the airfield will remain OPEN for the Coast Guard and Army National Guard units there. My theory is that Otis is ultimately still going to have a detachment of jets on alert vs. building a new facility at BDL which I believe is the plan.
I honestly don't understand why the heck they aren't locating to Westover and closing Barnes, but alot of stuff I've witnessed in a lifetime associated with military as both a dependent, active duty and now retiree doesn't make any sense...
Anyway, I am going to really miss the F-15s at Otis. Otis has a long history and lineage associated with the Air Defense and for good reason. Simple geography and unfettered access to "Whiskey" areas for air intercept training, ACM/BFM, etc...

Regards,

Former 551st AEW&C Wing Air Force brat Otis AFB, MA 1963-66 (Dad was a LCOL on the wing staff and EC-121H pilot)

 

[KCPilot]

The Tanker Issue....

Here is another good one. Sept 2008 there will be approx 75 tankers left on the whole West Coast. So the receiver to tanker ratio will be about 5 to 1. Then they built up the Midwest and East Coast units in some cases with over approx 116 tankers in a 300 nm radius? Don't understand that one!

So now the receivers on the West Coast are having a hard time with currency, sometimes over 400 AR request going unfilled in a quarter and we're not even down to the 75 tankers.

Bottom line, if you look and the Blue and Red states you can really see who won and lost in the last BRAC. All politics!! I know, since I was effected and as of last month no longer fly a mil jet but a nice little desk since there are few flying jobs out West!

Cheers!

 

[pkober]

I like the Idea of moving Reserve units into Active duty units like there doing with the Virginia National Guard at Richmond it seems to make sense. I would rather see Guard bases shut down and relocated to Active duty bases taking the money saved from closing the base's and buying the Guard units there own aircraft instead of sharing aircraft like what Magnums unit is doing. But then your back to the same issue of Politicans interfering with Future BRAC's for the Vote/Job.

The ANG doesn't want to move some of it's units onto AD bases because they would lose some recruiting potential. Example, if we moved all ANG units in IL to Scott AFB it would completely alienenate "up state" IL.

The Guard is a state militia and traces its roots back far longer than any AD force in our country. It needs to be kept as free from AD interference as possible. Plus the constitution says we should avoid having a large standing military. It's encourages state militias. Plus, if we spend too much time on an AD base we will spend too much time shining our boots and not learning to fight .

Moving ANG units to AD bases and intermixing the two could cause a serious loss of ANG unit identities and effectiveness.

 

[Slice121]

I was actually the project officer for the M3.3/3.4+ OFP, which was the precursor to 4.2+. They're pretty much the same tape. 4.1+ was the Block 40 version of 3.4+ (post CCIP mod), and 4.2+ is the first common tape between 40's and 50's. I agree that the CCIP Viper is extremely combat capable. Pretty much what you want, you get. Between Sniper and HTS (and Link 16), the squadron is very flexible at delivering the required munitions to the battlefield. The biggest problem is getting guys enough sorties to stay proficient at all the missions. LOTS of variety in training...unlike what I'm doing now.

Anyway, I loved the Block 50 and felt like it could do pretty much anything you wanted it to do. As far as conformal tanks, it's a mixed blessing. You can't put HARMs on those stations due to the rocket boost hitting the stab, but you could put some JDAMs or LGBs on 'em. It takes away G available (about a 7 g limit), so it sorta kills your multi-role ability if you get in a visual merge (as unlikely as that may be).

I've been out of the Block 50 since late '04, but I've kept up with it through other buds in the test world. Some of my info may be dated, and we did nothing with the conformal tanks. What I passed is just what I got from DT buds and bar talk.

You forgot the most important issue on the Viper and conformal tanks...they're ugly as hell!