Tag: Air Force

Where Oh Where Have The Warplanes Gone?

The popular meme around the Ukraine conflict is the idea of establishing a ‘no-fly zone’ over the nation…..

First, so far I have not seen any reports of Russian air superiority much less many shots of Russian planes at all…….

My question is if Russia has such a massive air force…..where are they?

The Russian Air Force is ranked third in the world by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, whose ranking takes into account factors like modernization, logistical support, and attack capabilities. By the numbers, it’s also third, with its current active inventory of about 3,800 aircraft coming in behind only the US Air Force and US Army’s fleets, reports Flying Magazine. So … where is it? It’s the question Reuters is asking after a week in which it says Russia has “act[ed] far more delicately with its air power” than expected, “so much so that US officials can’t exactly explain what’s driving Russia’s apparent risk-averse behavior.”

An unnamed senior US official says it’s believed Russia is only using about 75 aircraft currently, and the RUSI think-tank in London on Monday wrote “the roughly 300 modern combat aircraft … positioned within easy range of the main contact zones in northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine appear to have largely stayed on the ground throughout the first four days of fighting.” Just as perplexing is the fact that Ukraine’s air force is still airborne. As RUSI wrote, as with “almost every military conflict since 1938,” the expectation was that one of Russia’s first steps would be to wipe out Ukraine’s air force and air defenses, but Ukraine’s air force fighter jets are still in play.

RUSI shares a number of possible explanations, among them that what Russia wrought on Aleppo and Homs was the kind of indiscriminate bombing that didn’t seek to minimize civilian casualties; it’s possible the air force could be on deck, waiting for a change in strategy. Foreign Policy flags some perspective from Seth Jones and Philip Wasielewski of the Center for Strategic and International Studies ahead of the invasion, who noted that “the Russian military also has limited experience in coordinating a large number of aircraft that will support the ground attack”—what occurred over Syria and Chechnya “do not compare with the number of sorties that could be required in Ukraine across a front possibly several hundred miles wide.”

Are they waiting until the air power is needed?

Will we see the planes in action soon?

Can the Ukrainian air force handle the possible influx of Russian air force?

Many questions to be answered later as the situation becomes more violent and more destructive.

Watch This Blog!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Closing Thought–24Jul18

I have on numerous occasions tried to let my readers know that I am a staunch supporter of the A-10 in close combat support for our troops…the Air Force is trying to replace the “hog” with a flying brick, the F-35.

https://lobotero.com/2016/04/29/a-10-vs-f-35/

https://lobotero.com/2018/03/05/a-10-vs-f-35-remix/

I bring this up because the Air Force promised to have a contest between the two planes to determine their exact capabilities…..the problem is that they, Air Force, are trying to keep the results a secret……

The U.S. Air Force has, without any apparent public announcement, begun a much-awaited comparative evaluation of the close air support capabilities of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter versus the venerable A-10 Warthog. The event was already controversial before it even began and there is now evidence to suggest the service maybe be manipulating the test parameters to favor the stealthy fifth-generation fighter jet.

The Straus Military Reform Project at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) was the first to reveal the tests have already started, according to a copy of the schedule that it got a chance to review. The evaluation began on July 5, 2018, and will last just one week, ending on July 12, 2018. Only four of those days involve actual flying. The Air Force had previously said the event would occur sometime in 2018, but did not offer a fixed timeline.

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/22077/the-u-s-air-force-is-hiding-its-controversial-flyoff-between-the-a-10-and-f-35

The only reason I can think of to hide the results is that the F-35 is a piece of crap after spending billions on it….it does not do the job as intended.

The F-35 was always too damn expensive for what we were getting in return……but that could be why the F-35, Flying Brick is “Too Expensive To Fail”…….

The United States Air Force is reportedly considering cancelling orders for as many as 590 F-35 fighter jets because the aircraft is proving too expensive to operate and maintain. Nevertheless, with so much money already invested, production ploughs ahead. Julian Turner reports on the controversy and whether ongoing cost issues will affect purchase commitments.

controversy and whether ongoing cost issues will affect purchase commitments.

In March, it was revealed that the United States Air Force (USAF) may cancel orders for as many as 590 Lockheed Martin F-35A jets – a third of its planned fleet of 1,763 – due to long-term cost issues. The news that one of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter jets may be too expensive to operate and maintain in its current form comes at a critical juncture in its evolution. In April, F-35 flight test programme concluded System Development and Demonstration testing, a major milestone.

https://www.airforce-technology.com/features/f-35-project/

Keep in mind that this plane was one of the programs that the Pentagon was forced to accept even though they stated that it was not needed.

I stand by my assertion that the A-10 is by far the best plane for the close combat ops with our troops.

Closing Thought–17Apr18

Back during World War 2 there was a small cadre of non-commissioned officers that were pilots…..one of my uncles on my gather’s side was one of these he flew a P38…..

I bring this up because the service is having a hard time with their pilots……they are considering a return to a historical thing…….

Eugene Taylor remembers how eager enlisted airmen like him were to fly.

Taylor, who enlisted in 1968 and deployed to Vietnam, first worked as an avionics technician. Nearly a decade later, Taylor, a tech sergeant, became a T-37 and T-38 flight simulator instructor with the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. He became so adept that he was occasionally given the chance to fly the T-38, with permission from the pilot, during stateside flights.

It has been decades since enlisted airmen had the chance to sit in the cockpit. But as the Air Force faces the greatest pilot shortages since its inception, service leaders are contemplating a return to a model that includes enlisted pilots. A Rand Corp. study, set to be completed this month, is exploring the feasibility of bringing back a warrant officer corps for that purpose. And another, separate Air Force study is examining, in part, whether enlisted pilots could benefit from new high-tech training that leverages artificial intelligence and simulation.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/03/31/air-force-may-approve-enlisted-pilots-first-time-75-years.html

I do not see any problem with this…..I am sure that some self-centered tool will find a problem with having a lowly NCO pilot a multi-million dollar aircraft….but hey…if capable then let them do it.

My day has been tied up so I want to end it while there is time to enjoy some of my day….TTFN….chuq

A-10 Vs F-35–Remix

My Closing Thought–05Mar18

I have given my opinion on the idea that the A-10 needs replacing for the US military….but instead of writing more than I have to here is a post that I did that explains my thinking…..with other links within……

https://lobotero.com/2016/08/26/finally-the-a-10-is-essential/

If you read the post then you know that I think that the ‘Hog cannot be replaced as for close combat support…..and now it looks like there will be an answer to the question of which is best coming this April……

Before moving into operational testing, the joint strike fighter will have to prove its mettle as a close-air support plane to the Pentagon’s independent testers, the F-35 program head said Wednesday.

This April, the Defense Department’s director of operational test and evaluation will scrutinize the F-35’s close-air support and reconnaissance capabilities during a series of flights at Edwards Air Force Base and the Point Mugu Sea Range in California, said Vice Adm. Mat Winter, who leads the F-35 Joint Program Office.

Winter said he isn’t sure whether the close-air support assessment in April — the second increment of tests ahead of this September’s initial operational test and evaluation, or IOT&E — would include the much-hyped F-35 versus A-10 flyoff. But it’s coming soon.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/02/28/the-f-35-may-be-heading-into-its-faceoff-with-the-a-10-this-april/

I will be following this and reporting back as soon as possible…..I feel if the tests are up and up then I know which will win the “fly off”…..

My Monday is done….time for a beer and a burrito….see you guys tomorrow and we can pick up where we leave off today……chuq

Wasted Time And Wasted Money

For a couple of years I have been drawing attention to the stupid at the Pentagon when they wanted to replace the close combat support plane, A-10 Warthog, with a gold plated brick, the F-35……a plane that has had nothing but problems….and the list of problems is extensive…..here read the problems for yourself……

The F-35, which comes with an estimated $1.5 trillion pricetag over the life of the program, has faced numerous hurdles and delays. Most recently, there have been concerns over its computer systems’ vulnerability, and Chinese hackers have possibly stolen classified data related to the project.

The F-35’s construction has continued, and it is being manufactured across multiple states and different countries. For better or worse, it’s going to be the US and its allies’ main warplane for decades to come.

Source: Pentagon: Here are all the problems with the F-35 – Business Insider

But guess what?  The Air Force is not the only service that has a piece of crap for equipment……the Navy is having similar problems with their newest warship…..

When a branch of the US military starts rolling out a new pet project, it is rarely either cost effective or literally effective. The US Navy’s littoral combat ship (LCS) program is really underscoring that recently, with more ships breaking at seemingly random, meaning four nearly brand new ships have broken down in less than a year.

Just yesterday, the Navy discussed problems with its first LCS, the USS Freedom, which inexplicably was put out of commission back in July when seawater got into the engine and the oil system and started rusting things out. Limping back to home port, the USS Freedom now needs an engine replaced outright, with no timetable for the fix, or the cost.

Today, officials reported the USS Coronado, which only got commissioned back in 2014, has suffered an unspecified “engine casualty” and is struggling back to Pearl Harbor for repairs. It had just left Pearl Harbor on Friday.

That makes four LCS ships that have broken down in the past year, which is a pretty disastrous track record considering that even the oldest ship, the USS Freedom, was commissioned in late 2008, and the US only had a total of six active duty LCS ships in total.

The LCS is a product of the US Navy’s efforts, in the wake of the Cold War, to shift its priorities away from having more large capital ships than the Soviet Union toward just having a lot of stuff that floats about in the water, so they could have a nominal presence more or less anywhere.

The idea was that the LCS would be a low-cost, reliable ship for limited missions around coastlines, but the reality is that upkeep on the ships has been dramatically higher than initial estimates, and an LCS ends up costing more than a larger, and more combat-ready ship like a frigate.

Still, with several billion dollars sunk into the plan and the Navy’s priorities still squarely on quantity over quality, the LCS fleet is being constructed in earnest, even as the few already completed stumble back into the docks, because they didn’t do so great on the reliability front either.

(antiwar.com)

The more we try to improve our equipment for our troops the more we screw up everything……what could possibly be the reason?

Defense contracts……it is about the bucks not the quality of the equipment….

Maybe they should adopt a new slogan…..”plan smarter….not cheaper”

Thoughts?

Finally! The A-10 Is Essential!

For a couple of years I have writing in defense of the US A-10 Warthog which is supposed to be replaced by a piece of crap, a flying brick, F-35…..

I have pointed out that there is NO better plane for close combat support for our troops than the ‘Hog…..a plane that takes a licking and keeps on fighting!

Image result for A-10 images

But to help refresh your memory……

Source: The Costly F-35 Program, or How Not to Build a Warplane – In Saner Thought

Source: A-10 VS F-35 – In Saner Thought

Most of the mental midgets that support the f-35 and want to replace the A-10 have NEVER been in combat and do not understand the importance of a plane in close support.  But that is how we do stuff….let those with NO experience make the decisions for those that do….

The GAO has issued a report questioning the validity of the plan to eliminate the A-10…….

The Government Accountability Office raised serious questions about the Air Force’s plan to eliminate the A-10 attack plane in a new report, focusing in part on lesser-known missions for the aircraft while pointedly saying that the Defense Department should use “quality information” to make a decision.

The report, released Wednesday, acknowledged the A-10 Thunderbolt II’s role in close-air support (CAS), which has popularized the plane with ground troops and some members of Congress alike. The aircraft was fielded beginning in the 1970s specifically to carry out that mission, relying on a powerful 30mm Gatling gun cannon to strike enemies and a titanium armored “bathtub” that protects the pilot from ground fire. Nicknamed the Warthog, it has a snub-nose design and the ability to support ground troops more cheaply than its potential replacements.

Source: GAO: Dumping the A-10 jet could cost the military in missions besides close-air support – The Washington Post

Maybe now someone will pay attention….the GAO is saying nothing that we combat vets have not been saying for years.

Can you hear us NOW!

In Defense Of The ‘Hog

I am an unapologetic supporter of the A-10 Warthog over the new piece of crap that is suppose to replace it on the battlefield, the F-35.

Does anyone know what a “Thud” is?  Probably not…..it is the nickname we grunts gave the F-105, a fighter-Bomber, in Vietnam….the plane was slow, maneuverable, and the sound it made when it hit the ground “THUD”….hence the nickname….I bring up this piece of memorability because the F-35 is the new THUD…..it has not really passed any of its trials and is in constant need of upgrades…..worthless as a close support plane….it has been named the plane to replace the Warthog…..a goddamn silly decision.  Ask any grunt that has been saved by the A-10 what he/she has to say about replacing the successful ‘Hog…….

Finally someone, in authority, has stepped forward in the defense of the ‘Hog……

Defense Secretary Ash Carter has made it official: ISIS has saved one of its deadliest enemies, the U.S. Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt.

The inelegant but well-armed and well-armored ground-attack jet, nicknamed the “Warthog,” was facing quick retirement after the Air Force said it needed the money and crews being used to keep the A-10s flying for the brand-new F-35s and other missions.

Then came Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition’s campaign against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Source: Defense chief: A-10s needed to bomb ISIS – CNNPolitics.com

The biggest obstacle to keeping the A-10 flying is that it is becoming out-dated…..a lame damn excuse…..the military has kept the B-52 flying beyond its intended time by  a program of up-dates….the ‘Hog could be done the same……and for a lot less than the massive costs of a flying brick, the F-35….

I do not think much of anything Ash Carter has said from the Pentagon….but at least someone there sees the need for an excellent close support plane….

The A-10 continues to impress and perform…..so why replace a success with a piece of expensive crap?

The Costly F-35 Program, or How Not to Build a Warplane

The A-10, Warthog, is to be retired and replaced with a technological piece of crap that has NO value in close support of the troops…..

I have written my disapproval of this plane from the start,,,,,as a former grunt I do not want a fine close support plane like the A-10 to be taken from the field and taken from the troops that need it.

Read for yourself about this piece of crap……and then it you value the safety of the troops then let your Congress person know that you are against the replacement of the A-10 with the new piece of manure known as the F-35.

Do it NOW!

 

The Costly F-35 Program, or How Not to Build a Warplane.

The A-10 jet will launch airstrikes against the Islamic State – The Washington Post

I have already ranting about the absolutely MORONIC Defense Dept and their intent in retiring the A-10 Warthog……the government will scrap a vital part of the ground soldiers arsenal against the bad guys just to appease some bullsh*t defense contractor…

This airplane has won the admiration and respect of the grunts that actually do the fighting…..and now they want some worthless supersonic piece of crap flown by a “Top Gun” wannabe…..

The A-10 maybe be slow, ugly and it is the grunts best friend in the air……bet not one of the stupid paid agents in the military ever considered what the grunt wanted….NO all that matter was the graft that the “generals” would get to fall in line with the decision to scrape an ICON in close combat operations.

At least, for now, the ‘Hog will return to Iraq to do its part……and it’s part will be flawless.

 

The A-10 jet will launch airstrikes against the Islamic State – The Washington Post.

Retire The Warthog?

Really?  Whose idea is this?  What mental midget thinks this is a good idea?  Don’t answer…I am sure it is rooted in the defense contract swamp.

Ask a grunt when he is up to his ass in bad guys….who would he want to see come to his rescue…….a Warthog or some jet jockey that thinks he deserves a shot at Top Gun School?  My bet is they will answer the ‘Hog every time.

Sure it is slow…..ugly…….and the absolute best close combat support that the military has ever had.

Retiring the A-10 is NOT a good idea….the worst idea EVER!……..but no one asked the troops which they prefer…..it is all about defense contracts and money….a decision made by those that have NEVER had to fight a day in their lives…..

Retiring the ‘Hog is an injustice to American ground troops…….

 

The Air Force’s Rationale For Retiring The A-10 Warthog Is Bullshit.