MiGMasher

Was there any mention of the RAAF picking a poor air to air missile design as their new IR AAM? The RAAF purchased the BAE AIM-132 ASRAAM to replace the Sidewinders. As far as I know the German IRIS-T, US AIM-9X and the Israeli Python 4/5 are significantly better in performance, especially when going against AA-11/HMS-equiped MiG-29's and Su-27/30's that are equiping our neighbours up north. It's all about jobs and politics. Companies like Boeing and BAE have factories here in Australia. And we have an election coming up too. Australian shipbuilders recently won contracts to produce 4 DDG's (Guided Missile Destroyers/Air Warfare Destroyers) and 2 LHD (Amphibious Assault Ships). These designs are spanish in origin, but they won out because the spanish companies that design and build those ships are letting us build them in Australia. The other competitors did not allow that, so they lost. It didn't matter if they had better, more combat proven designs. The decision for these assets was approved not too long ago this year. And Australia will never get anything from France. We still remember their threats to us to cut off all technical and spares support if we deployed our Mirage 3's to Vietnam. That is why the Mirage 2000 did not come close to being a competitor in the 1980's competition to replace the earlier Mirages. Eventually we bought the F/A-18A Hornet.

A question for all... What is the difference between the F-4E's TISEO and the F-14's AXX-1 TCS? They both look the same and both are made by Northrop. Is it just the acronyms or something more?

WOW! Where did you get these awesome pics from? It makes me wonder though...Why didn't the Americans make use of the HH-53B/C/H's? They can be refuelled in mid-air. What made the RH-53D AMCM variant so special that it was used? How different are the AF Stallions compared to the Navy/MC variants?

It's been 60 years since independence. Can't blame the Brits for everything

I wonder if the Air Force guys here can confirm if F-15 pilots fitted sniper scopes next to their HUDs for Visual ID.

It sounds strange that the Navy will go that way. I mean, like, in an emergency, such as a dogfight, isn't it common practice to jettison tanks?

ROFL

Nice! I loved The Final Countdown!! A very good showcase of U.S. Carrier Airpower.

You can thank the media for ratcheting up the myth of stealth meaning totally invisible. I saw a graph once, and it compared the detectability range for the B-52 vs the B-2, and I think the B-52 could be easily detected well in excess of 100 miles away while the B-2 could be detected at a maximum of 20 miles. Accompanying pictures showed what it effectively meant when penetrating Soviet airspace, in that whereas the B-52 was effectively sandwiched by overlapping radar coverage the B-2 on the other hand had wide corridors/gaps where they could go through without being detected. Awesome capability.

Thanks for the detailed explaination. I can't remember exactly the title of the GAO publication I got the figure of 127 F/A-18A-D Hornet-sized airplanes from but I knew it dealt with something along the lines of conventional versus nuclear carrier comparisons. I think the publication was rather dated, probably during the mid-90's I don't know exactly. But it was surprising that a carrier could have the capacity to carry that many such sized aircraft. One thing I'm sad about though, Typhoid, is that you guys aren't going to visit us with your flattops in Sydney anymore now that you'll soon have an all-nuclear carrier force. The last CVN to visit Sydney was I think during the 70's when the USS Enterprise (CVN-65/CVW-14 team) came in. After that we've just had CV's like Ranger, Independence, Kitty Hawk and Constellation - Sydney was made a nuclear-free zone, which means if I want to visit a docked USN CVN I have to go to bloody Hobart or Perth:(. I'm not quite sure but I think it was USS Midway that visited Sydney during the 1988 Bicentennial that we had, along with a BB!

The Raptor is stealthy but not totally invisible to radar. As far I knew LO technology meant decreased radar detection range, so the fact that the bug was computing lead on the Raptor doesn't surprise me, given the close range.

Hey Typhoid, is it true that Nimitz-class carriers can carry a maximum of 127 F-18-sized aircraft?

I remember reading Air Forces Monthly magazine and it had the story of AH-1 Cobras rescuing a pilot who hung on for dear life on one of the gunships' skis. The article also said the WSO was captured. Is this the guy? And 21 years is a long time. Any reliable news concerning his status?

I didn't like his version of "Piano In The Dark".

Clash as in "Rock The Casbah" Clash? I like that song!

Nice stuff indeed!

Everything from 1930 to present day! Particular eras are 40's, 50's, some 60's and 70's, heaps of 80's, some 90's, not much but some of today's stuff. A short list of my favorite artists and groups... Vera Lynn, Deam Martin, Edith Piaf, Julie London (yes, the nurse from the 1970's show, "Emergency!". She was also a good singer in the 50's), Etta Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, The Platters, Tony Bennett, Matt Monro, Andy Williams, Brenda Lee Nina Simone, CTA (A.K.A. Chicago), Sergio Mendez and Brazil 66, Roy Orbison, Engelbert Humperdinck (Funny name, but some of his stuff I like) Beach Boys, Al Jolson, Patsy Cline, Vic Damone, Jonnie Francis, Lettermen, Herman's Hermits, The Ventures The Supremes, Petula Clark (Yes: "DOWNTOWN!"), Patti Page, Doris Day, Roger Whitaker, James Taylor Lulu, Dr Hook, Mark Knopfler, Kenny Rogers, Tammy Wynnette Deborah Kerr (Okay, yes she's an actress, and a legendary one at that, but she can also sing and plays the piano too! I love her hehe!) Reba McIntyre, Santana, Anne Murray, Helen Reddy, The Hollies, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Queen, Tori Amos Portishead, Living Colour, Hall and Oates, Split Enz, The Jets, Gloria Estefan, Metallica, Enigma Martina McBride (especially that song "Valentine"), Scritti Politti Spandau Ballet, Tears For Fears, Peter Brown (I always play the song "They only come out at night" when I'm flying strike in the A-6 at night LOL!) Roberta Flack, New Order ,Joe Jackson (I'm in a dogfighting mood everytime I hear his classic song "Stepping Out"!) Donna Summer, Swing Out Sister, Marcella Detroit (from Shakespear Sister), Maroon 5, Ben Folds, PM Dawn, George Benson Laura Branigan, Pointer Sisters, Diana Krall, Katie Melua, Secret Garden ...Okay, maybe not a short list hehe!

LOL How about Tomtom? :yes: Err...on second thought, maybe Phantomcat is the way to go!

The A-16 is my fav for attack. I usally hit most of my targets on the first pass. Love the HUD on that mud mover!

I've recently downloaded the Burning Sands upgrade and was overjoyed with the carrier ops aspect. The Funny thing was though, when I was coming back from my first mission, flying an A-6A, I noticed the Intruder was landing on the carrier as if it were an axial instead of an angled deck. At the last minute I took control and waved off and tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to land on the angled landing area. I could imagine now how difficult it is for pilots in real life in landing on one. Landing tips anyone?

At the risk of sounding cynical it's pretty hard for industry to make money if you're into recycling, if you know what I mean. Sure getting new stuff is good for advancement of technology and the maintenance of the infrastructure and skills to produce them, but if I were the end-user of these products I would take some comfort atleast in knowing that what I'm using is the best in the world...that's if if it were the best in the world. And I'm sure the taxpayers would want to know what their tax dollars are paying for.

The US Navy has admitted as such. I was looking for Tomcat pics last year on the Official USN website when I came across the steadily growing collection of Super Hornet pics. The captions for those pics said the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is an attack aircraft that if necessary could undertake fighter duties. When I read comments to that effect on those Superbug pic captions it lent credence (to my mind atleast) to those rumours that derided the F/A-18E/F's air combat ability in spite of in-service aircrews' seemingly glowing reports on the type. Until the JSF arrives the older model Hornets look like they're picking up the Air Combat slack.

Don't you hate it guys when you get those outsiders that come in with stars in their eyes, saying they are championing for a Free Palestine and reistance to Israeli Aggression. To me they can think whatever they want, but at the end of the day those misguided people don't live there, yet want to stir up trouble under the guise of Free Palestine and stop Israeli Aggression nonsense! These fools seriously think they are doing some good by spreading PLO propaganda, knowingly or unknowingly. I see them in universities and they carry on like their bloody experts. I had a go at one fool, after he lectured to the students, who (you'd think uni students to be atleast intelligent and or free-thinking) sat glued to his BS and bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker. I told him that the Palestinians are adept at being crybabies...It's okay to raise concerns or complain, but when you keep whining all the time and create lies and deceptions to get sympathy then sooner or later people will stop listening or even stop giving a damn. I know I'm sick and tired of it. Maybe it's not all the Palestinian population that are whingers, especially those that get off their butts and doing something positive. Too much politics and rivalries in the Palestinian camp, and adding to this the foreign element such as Iran and Syria. Yet the world condemns Israel, like it's a long-standing fashion trend. Anyways it's great news that the IDF soldier is safe. I applaud the Palestinian policemen for doing their job.