F-117: 2 Year Life Expectancy

[Gorilla]

I've beeon out of the operational world for a qhile, but it would seem to me, with a solid system in place for datalinking target coords, the B2 would rock.

Isn't there a device that will deliver lat/lon of a target to the ground troop? In other words, the guy lases a target. Knowing what his own coordinates are, and the range and bearing to the target, the unit generates correct target coordinates. These get linked instantly to the B2. Shoot those coords into a JDAM, bombs away. Next bomb gets ready.

The B2 (or BUFF) could loiter for hours, while the FEBA works forward, sending set after set of coordinates to the JDAM platform. Death from above, all weather, day or night.

At the same time, a gaggle of hogs and vipers could spank targets of opportunity. Combined arms wins the day!

 

[JimNtexas]

I've beeon out of the operational world for a qhile, but it would seem to me, with a solid system in place for datalinking target coords, the B2 would rock.

Isn't there a device that will deliver lat/lon of a target to the ground troop? In other words, the guy lases a target. Knowing what his own coordinates are, and the range and bearing to the target, the unit generates correct target coordinates. These get linked instantly to the B2. Shoot those coords into a JDAM, bombs away. Next bomb gets ready.

Actually such a device has existed since the late 80s. The datalink reciever was installed in a few F-4Gs and F-16s so that they could talk to each other, and computers, radios, and laser rangefinders did exist that could ground FACs could have used to send target coordinates to aircraft. But because we spent so much money on gold plated landing gear handles for the B-2 and F-22 we ground FACs had to make do with grease pencils. Which we mostly bought with our own money, since the Air Force did not fund office supplies for ground FACs.

I still am angry about how ill-equiped we ALOs were to support the army, and why I'll never trust senior Air Force officers to make rational resource allocations of taxpayer money.

Because we wasted so much money and attention on having a bomber that could have a chance to fly to Moscow and nuke a smoking hole (B-2) and an airplane to stroke the egos of the single seat generals (F-22) we just didn't have the money to spend on supporting the Army. Even if the senior Air Force officers had had the slightest interest in supporting the Army, which they didn't.

Yes, the B-2 can do what the B-1 and B-52 can do in terms of trucking long range glide bombs around. Of course the B-2 is very limited in terms of its ablity to deploy, but since the B-2 pilots are provided with a heart shaped rotating bed with a mirrored ceiling just behind their cockpit it is no problem for them to fly these 30 hour missions. It just costs 5x per bomb to do it. It is as if we turned our nose up at our fleet of Ford F-250s (B-52s) and decided that since we still need pickup trucks after all we'd just convert some Mercedes S550's into pickups.

 

[Prop2Jet]

Who needs the 117 when we have AGM-86s! We should all just realize to curb the exponential growth of Chinese weapon systems and the likelyhood that our systems will be outmooded in the near future we need to put launch platforms in LEO. Precision strike can be accompished with retasking such assets. Also, who ever "militarizes" space first, and I am not talking about Midcourse effects from ballistic missiles, will have the upperhand both in geopolitical and tactical engagements. I think we are missing this opportunity to secure the CONUS from long-term strategic threats, I.E. the PRC.

 

[stonewall]

Actually such a device has existed since the late 80s. The datalink reciever was installed in a few F-4Gs and F-16s so that they could talk to each other, and computers, radios, and laser rangefinders did exist that could ground FACs could have used to send target coordinates to aircraft. But because we spent so much money on gold plated landing gear handles for the B-2 and F-22 we ground FACs had to make do with grease pencils. Which we mostly bought with our own money, since the Air Force did not fund office supplies for ground FACs.

I still am angry about how ill-equiped we ALOs were to support the army, and why I'll never trust senior Air Force officers to make rational resource allocations of taxpayer money.

Because we wasted so much money and attention on having a bomber that could have a chance to fly to Moscow and nuke a smoking hole (B-2) and an airplane to stroke the egos of the single seat generals (F-22) we just didn't have the money to spend on supporting the Army. Even if the senior Air Force officers had had the slightest interest in supporting the Army, which they didn't.

Yes, the B-2 can do what the B-1 and B-52 can do in terms of trucking long range glide bombs around. Of course the B-2 is very limited in terms of its ablity to deploy, but since the B-2 pilots are provided with a heart shaped rotating bed with a mirrored ceiling just behind their cockpit it is no problem for them to fly these 30 hour missions. It just costs 5x per bomb to do it. It is as if we turned our nose up at our fleet of Ford F-250s (B-52s) and decided that since we still need pickup trucks after all we'd just convert some Mercedes S550's into pickups.

I'm sure it sucked....BACK THEN JIM!!!! Link 16...read up on it and join the modern Air force.

 

[JimNtexas]

" I'm sure it sucked....BACK THEN JIM!!!! Link 16...read up on it and join the modern Air force."

Please explain to my addled old brain why we need a B-2 to drop long range standoff bombs when a B-1 could do it at a fraction of the cost?

SJS is not confined to just the airlines.

 

[stonewall]

Stealth.

 

[floater_b2]

Jim, your hostility towards the B-2 and F-22 is amazing, especially since you are basing all of your ideas and arguments on outdated information. Having done those long sorties in the B-2 I can speak with certainty that the accomodations on that aircraft for crew rest are far from stellar. Definitely no heart shaped bed with mirrors, although if it helps you sleep at night thinking there are then have at it. All your arguments against stealth really show is that you know absolutely nothing about stealth and what it brings to the fight. More than just myself have tried to point out to you that the AF has tried to remedy the past mistakes as far as CAS goes but yet you still hold on to your bitterness. I would suggest that you at least brush up on some current facts and knowledge to try to beef up your arguments a bit.

 

[floater_b2]

Oh, and to answer your question as to why we need a B-2 to drop long range standoff ...Quite simple actually. You can now fight your own way in using the benefits of long range and stealth and then drop on the targets that really matter. JASSM is a great weapon and when you mix in some JASSM, 2000# JDAMs, and 5000# bunker busters and then add a dash of stealth to the mix you are able to now do things that no other platform currently can do.

 

[Flyin Tony]

From the 117 to taxes

 

[Prop2Jet]

kill the CHICOMS!