MAKO69

F-35 20-1 kill ratio at Ref Flag

http://f35.com/news/detail/f-35a-records-20-to-1-kill-ratio-at-red-flag-exercise

10 MAY 72 the A-10 takes its 1st flight

10 MAY 1972 U.S. Air Force and Navy flyers have the largest air battle of the Vietnam Conflict downing more North Vietnamese Migs than any other air battles.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NdOqdsFbGQg

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YfQVehFjvaI

Nice find

I knew you'd like!

For real, you being sarcastic? That was a navy plane to start. Please tell me you knew that.

Well...... This makes sense. I see the fat chick belly for fuel too but, you could hang some fuel tanks from the stubby wings and remove some armor that would allow more room for over sea fuel. This would be more Marine than Navy, but still SHIT HOT. I LIKE THE FATTY GIRL LOADED UP AT THE BOTTOM.

Not much changes from a sea bird to a land bird, just the catapult bar removed like Australia's Hornets. It's more interesting to see a "FAIR FORCE" jet brought up to linebacker status.

Navy'lize your favorite fighter, strike fighter, bomber or recon plane, try to keep it the laws of physics in mind. I'll start off with these 2 what if Navy A-10s.

Great guy, great contributer, great stories, I had a few conversations with him via I'm and e-mails. I will tilt a wobbly pop in his honor tonight.

The Pentagon's Autonomous Swarming Drones Are the Most Unsettling Thing You'll See Today

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a24675/pentagon-autonomous-swarming-drones/?utm_content=bufferca483&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The X-32 was less capable.

 

Looking at that Advanced Hornet...going into a knife fight with the induced drag and weight of a giant external pod seems like a really bad idea.

The point of stealth is not to get into a "knife fight". The Superhornet is not a full stealth plane, but it has stealth components that make it harder to detect on radar compared to other late generation strike fighters. Stealth allows a pilot to slide in and out hopefully undetected. Its a package, the plane and the way its flown. If a pilot goes into hostile area whipping the ponies flashing control surfaces, it doesn't matter what the plane radar will see it eventually.

Boeing's new toy to train fighter pilots.

Why not us T-45's it's already good to go. The US needs to use similar airframes for this shit, but this dirty girl has an afterburner!

Some pics for thought.

Previous thread from a couple years ago goes in depth to the comparison and capabilities of both aircraft. A lot of great contributions I suggest people read it before adding more replies. I'm am pro F-35 & F/A-18 Superbug. Boeing is also zeroing older Legacy Hornets to F/A-18 C+ to be more online with the war computers and radar of the superbug. It's all about money.

http://combatace.com/topic/82860-debate-fa-18-super-hornet-vs-f-35-lightning-ii/?fromsearch=1

Boeing has already been working on a stealthy mission pod for the F/A-18 Superbug. The super has stealth technology built in to it already, not as much as the F-35. Stealth is a compromise, it doesn't mean the planes are invisible on radar It just means they are just harder to find.

Trump Asks Boeing To Price-Out ‘Comparable’ F-18 Super Hornet To Lockheed’s F-35

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/22/trump-asks-boeing-to-price-out-comparable-f-18-super-hornet-to-lockheeds-f-35.html

It's stealth so the paint and coatings used may be easier in air superiority grey.

I'm pro F-35, the program is way behind schedule by some say 8 others say 10 years. It's all about money with keeping legacy aircraft. Both the F-22 & F-35 have had the orders cut back from all future operators. If the full compliment of those airframes were to be built it would be a different tune. The Air Force brass wants to retire the A-10, but the Army brass wants to keep them, and congress is in agreement to keep the A-10 around until there are sufficient numbers of what's coming down the pipe to finally take over the job of the A-10. The days of mission specific aircraft are coming to an end. I see nothing wrong with keeping the A-10. The Program for the F/A-18C+ program is a no brainier too. With legacy hornets and now 1st production superhornets timing and trapping out it has to be done. It be great to wave a magic wand and have all F-35 be built and ready for combat missions, but it takes time to build them, fix issues that come along, then start the transition for maintenance and flight crews to the new aircraft, while still training people on the aircraft to be replaced. For the U.S. Navy it takes about 10+ years to fully transition to an aircraft, similar time line for the USAF. So they are forced to do this with older aircraft. It's all about money, is a waste of money to refurb older aircraft until its replacements are online, Yup! It's what has to be done to keep the U.S.'s troops safe. Complain all you want, but it's going to happen & it will keep on happening. Plenty of old airframes still working.

Herd,

The F-16 was built to fill a role of day time fighter 1st. The air to ground mission was added later to the program.

Says you, there more to it then slapping on new wings. It's cost effective to refurbish, than build new.

Boeing was awarded a contract to refit 173 with new wings, looks like you'll be seeing them for a bit longer.

What's the warload for those planes without using a catapult? Can't be very much.

March 2016 article on possible A-10 replacements.

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/03/14/5-Attack-Planes-Could-Replace-10-Warthog

Boeing awarded wing replacement program for the USAF A-10.

http://www.boeing.com/defense/support/a-10-wing-replacement-program/index.page