Does anyone know which aircraft "most" pilots would rather take into combat - the Typhoon or the Rafale? Let's use eastern Ukraine as the theatre and the aircraft being operated by the Ukrainians with their support assets. Which aircraft is better has been widely debated ... but the conse...
Jump to postWhat fuel does the Starliner use. Not the launch vehicle,but the actual capsule? (Googling does not reveal an answer.)
Jump to postCan someone compare Starliner vs Crewed Dragon in terms of development cost and time? Everyone says SpaceX is best, but where they better in this case?
Jump to postThese are my favorite military blogs. Can anyone suggest more/better ones? https://news.usni.org -- Authoritative naval stuff https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone -- General military stuff by professionals willing to state opinions https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/ -- longer articles from a british p...
Jump to postAbout the LCS ... The entire class, all of the ships combined, were able to generate 6 deployments in 2021. Fewer in 2020. Fewer in 2019. The ships cannot deploy. https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/us-navy-to-deploy-6-littoral-combat-ships-by-year-end/ The GAO report on the LCS ship (Feb 2022) starts ...
Jump to postThe US Navy is retiring LCS hulls as fast as it can. The biggest constrain is whether Congress will let the USN retire ships that are so new and cost so much when built. I won't join in but I see you are getting a lot of push back from others on this subject. I politely don't think that's true. I t...
Jump to postAbout the LCS ... The entire class, all of the ships combined, were able to generate 6 deployments in 2021. Fewer in 2020. Fewer in 2019. The ships cannot deploy. https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/us-navy-to-deploy-6-littoral-combat-ships-by-year-end/ The GAO report on the LCS ship (Feb 2022) starts w...
Jump to postPlease forgive me if I come off as naive in this, I am not a Navy guy, but I am interested in this subject. ... LCS would be an ideal drone platform and drones certainly are going to be a large part of 21st century warfare. The US Navy is retiring LCS hulls as fast as it can. The biggest constrain ...
Jump to postIf they wanted a ship to run with a carrier why did they ever fund the LCS? They offer nothing to a carrier group, nothing on offense, nothing on defense. I have read the Wikipedia description of the Constellation class frigates and two things stand out; the first is that these ships are to be part...
Jump to postYou must be surprised that Navy is decommissioning so many LCS so early. And moving on to a new platform. If they USN thought the LCS was worth having they would repair the ones that need repair, and would not be decommissioning the ones they have. Fact check: 9 LCS have been proposed for retiremen...
Jump to postLCS gets kicked around but they are out there serving every day, and crews like them. Their concept is just different than the traditional categories of warships. They were designed to replace three classes of ships, and are successful at two of them. The need for a more lethal frigate has reemerge...
Jump to postThere is always a need for more capacity, but not an unlimited budget. The KC-46 also gets kicked around, but it too is now forward deployed, and is very active even without RVS 2.0. If conflict with China broke out tomorrow, the B-2 fleet would be essential. Hence the need for B-21 to replace them...
Jump to postThis is a specious question. At the time it was being developed, the need for this aircraft was very real, and to this day, its very existence affects the behavior of the two main adversaries. The fact that the need continues is illustrated by the B-21 following in its footsteps. Then it’s not a sp...
Jump to postSikorsky ought to revisit the X-wing concept that they investigated with the S-72. It would be less draggy, have far superior disk loading, and capable of higher speeds than Bell's folding rotors concept. https://www.sikorskyarchives.com/X-WING.php This is Sikorsky's to lose if they go this route. ...
Jump to postThis is a specious question. At the time it was being developed, the need for this aircraft was very real, and to this day, its very existence affects the behavior of the two main adversaries. The fact that the need continues is illustrated by the B-21 following in its footsteps. Then it’s not a sp...
Jump to postMy answer: (1) The Oliver Hazard Perry frigate production was just ending. A successor of similar size but more modern capability produced just after the year 2000 would be nice to have now, even if they would be getting on in years. Also, anything that avoids the LCS debacle is a good. (2) The 767 ...
Jump to postBetween 1988 and 2004, the USAF spent $72B on developing/producing the B-2 bomber. (inflation adjusted, $44B nominal)
What should the US military have spent that money on?
We super-a-whole-bunch don't see the world the same way. You REALLY believe the LCS was cancelled when they understood it was a bad idea? Did you know there are still 11 ships under construction and/or waiting to be commissioned? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littoral_combat_ship#List_of_littoral_c...
Jump to postOne thing the US is good at is predicting the future. The US has the guts to cancel expensive programs when it no longer suits the future B-2, F-22, Commanche, FCS, LCS, Zumwalt etc. They will presist with troubled We super-a-whole-bunch don't see the world the same way. You REALLY believe the LCS ...
Jump to postWe're arguing that if you cannot maintain a FOB you're already losing the war. A country can win a war and still suffer high casualties at their FOB. The whole point of heavy vertical lift is to reduce casualties. 3000+ fuel truck convoy drivers deaths is a start. You're not arguing against me but ...
Jump to postNo, not a decision. An accomplishment. Switzerland is the only soil in central Europe, where since 1803 no foreign armies marched. And the reason why Switzerland was neutral since then is, because the large European powers mandated it in 1815. In the congress of Vienna, neither of the large powers ...
Jump to postIf Switzerland avoided war with the combined might of Germany and Italy in 1942 ... that's a decision. No, not a decision. An accomplishment. Switzerland is the only soil in central Europe, where since 1803 no foreign armies marched. And the reason why Switzerland was neutral since then is, because...
Jump to postI was actually just curious at what point in the development process the operational affordability decision is made. I've read a lot about defense procurement and never read about that. Multiple studies have already been done. You will really enjoy the following link https://dsb.cto.mil/reports/200...
Jump to postAlso the problem is the absolute crap under estimates that every defense contractor always provides. They give an estimated price, and almost always it’s an under bid. If the problem was uncertainty, then some estimate would be too high and other estimate would be too low. But that’s not what happe...
Jump to postAlso the problem is the absolute crap under estimates that every defense contractor always provides. They give an estimated price, and almost always it’s an under bid. If the problem was uncertainty, then some estimate would be too high and other estimate would be too low. But that’s not what happe...
Jump to postRJMAZ ... We understand your point. You're explaining it well. We disagree for the reasons already described. https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1472017&p=23270345#p23270345 starting about post #37. I was actually just curious at what point in the development process the op...
Jump to postSince this might get lost in the CivAv thread: Boeing booked a big loss for the T-7A project in 1Q22. https://leehamnews.com/2022/04/27/boeing-delays-777x-first-delivery-delayed-until-2025/ The risks of a long term fixed-price contract Has Boeing in the recent decades had any fixed price contracts ...
Jump to postSince this might get lost in the CivAv thread: Boeing booked a big loss for the T-7A project in 1Q22. https://leehamnews.com/2022/04/27/boeing-delays-777x-first-delivery-delayed-until-2025/ Boeing Defense recorded [...] $367 million in charges on its T-7 Red Hawk trainer program. ... Supply costs, ...
Jump to postI thought your first post is a really nice introduction. We've written about this before, and I'm sure you know several of us fear the operational cost is not worth the additional benefit. What I'm asking now is somewhat technical so maybe no one knows .. when are estimates of running costs created?...
Jump to postAH-64 has a lighter empty weight, but comparing the max takeoff weights (i.e. loaded up for combat) tells a different story AH-64: 23,000 lbs AH-1Z: 18,500 lbs Put the same number of weapons with fuel to fly the same mission and the AH-64E has better hot/high performance. The AH-64E simply has been...
Jump to postI agree with kitplane01. What does Switzerland have to offer? We don't have any weight in Moscow. And a neutral stance is too expensive just for saying "Well, you guys can debate in Geneva." Russia will continue with the war as long as they believe they can make valuable gains. In certain...
Jump to postThe only advantage the AH-1Z has is availability. Qatar is currently receiving 24 AH-64E The UK is then getting 50 AH-64E Australia is then getting 29 AH-64E Morroco is negotiating for 24 AH-64E with an option for another 12. Apache production is filled until 2035. Bahrain, Nigeria and Czech Republ...
Jump to postHot and High performance far better for the AH-1Z according to a Bell rep I spoke to. That's why the Pakistanis wanted it too. I'd be interested. The AH-64 weighs slightly less, has slightly more horsepower, and a slightly larger disk area. Even so, the AH-1Z might have more hot-and-high performanc...
Jump to postThe AH-1Z is I believe substantially lighter and needs a lot less maintenance than the latest Apache’s. It’s available, can be integrated with a lot of weapons similarly, and depending on the need for things like taxiing (vs hovering) still does a lot of things really, really well for many customer...
Jump to postYes. Our neutrality means that in a conflict, Swiss companies have to offer armament to all conflict parties - or to none of them. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. I'd make the argument that the potential value of a true neutral state is more valuable ...
Jump to postflyingturtle wrote:
Yes. Our neutrality means that in a conflict, Swiss companies have to offer armament to all conflict parties - or to none of them.
Nigeria just bought 12 AH-1Zs for $1B. Bahrain also has 12 on order. The Czech Republic 4.
Does the AH-1Z have any advantages over the AH-64, beyond parts commonality with the UH-1?
One limitation of the E-7 in its current form is the number of operator stations, currently the RAAF examples are fitted with 10 stations. The E-3 has 14 I believe, the USAF may want more that the E-7 allows for. Would a 737-800 with more operator stations work for this mission? Yes, but then you w...
Jump to postSerbia has been busy modernising its military recently and in doing so they are buying more sophisticated equipment from different sources and countries around the world including anti-aircraft systems from both France and China, drones from China and Turkey, tanks and armored vehicles from Russia ...
Jump to postI suspect the Navy is treating the specs as classified for now. I am sure they had a ton of data back at the RFP stage. No reason for Boeing or the Navy to divulge anything beyond the RFP We know the gross weight of the F-22, F-35, and B-2. But the refueler aircraft, that's classified? We know the ...
Jump to postI think a VTOL transport would be considerable be more expensive than a conventional 4 engined transport. No one is disputing it will be more expensive to buy. If someone invented a teleporting machine that could send cargo to any point on Earth no one would compare the price of that machine to a c...
Jump to postWiki has the wing span and height. But that is probably fot the pre-production frames. They will not have final weights until they finish the first production frames completed and have weight on wheels. The internal components would have been sized for full operation life time as opposed to test li...
Jump to postHas Boeing or the USN released any specs on the MQ-25? Empty or gross weight, wing span, cruise speed or maximum speed, or anything besides fuel offload at 500nm?
Jump to postTWA772LR wrote:This concept would be better used as a detergent ...
I understand what you're saying .. but I'm not sure I agree. The point is not to conduct the patrol, the point is to win the war. If the nation is so hostile, and our military presence is so weak, we cannot secure an FOB and we cannot drive a patrol 50km , then we've already lost. It is not that bl...
Jump to postSince you mention the US Navy networking, they bought into the LCS platform with its modular weapons packages, which were never developed to operational status thus never deployed and now the platform is going away, which was needed, the platform or the modules? How about shore bombardment for the ...
Jump to postA forward operating base might cost $100,000 an hour. If the tactical VTOL transport eliminates this cost then it is far cheaper than any C-130 and Chinook combo. Let's look at the Iraq war. For every soldier walking the streets there might be 10 other military personnel in Iraq supporting that sol...
Jump to postNone of this sounds like an efficient way to transport goods. The day-to-day mission of the military transport is from runway to runway, and 3x the cost to land in a field instead of a runway might not be winning except in a few use cases. Reminder: money not spent on super-high-tech transports can...
Jump to postThe Air Force has essentially zero expertise (and, currently, interest) in rotorcraft. The Army has its hands full with FARA/FLRAA right now, and a C-130-scale tilt-rotor/tilt-wing would be technically very risky. It's not just a matter of scaling what has been done already. This is completely diff...
Jump to postIsn't this a bit of a apples and oranges comparison? The RR AE-2100 is for fixed wing aircraft and the T55-714C is for rotorcraft. The T55 is always mounted horizontally. It's not like the engine would need a new orientation. I do wonder if the gearbox would need a new ratio. And the original engin...
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