It’ll all depend on the test and flight performances of the SABRE engine.

If it works as advertised*, then its either space based or go home.

*Imagine lofting a 50 tonne box of missiles** into LEO over an area of interest, then as soon as an enemy aircraft is identified (by space based radar of course), release one missile.

Death from above.

**Given the reduced need for propulsion (let gravity do the work), you could have thousands in one launch box.

Even DEW protection systems won’t be able to protect you from such tungsten darts.

They did later scenarios with an A-50 and Su-24 running interference.

Although I would not put too much credibility on the whole thing until the IADS was part of the simulation, which of course includes VHF radar.

[IADS will of course deny airspace to the Su-35 through SAM coverage, but I would expect IADS to deny airspace to the F-35 as well through acting as GCI for aircraft.]

Not good if each usage shrinks your engine life by 3-4%.

But its still good if that engine life hit means you don’t take a missile up the proverbial…

I feel a whole load of “meh” today.

Yet another instance of sharp c*nts in suits throwing fluffy words around to shirk reality*.

The F-35 is no more ready for a combat environment than the bloody QE2.

*the same particularly useless subspecies of cu*ts can frequently be found in boardrooms and project management positions across the globe.

http://aviationweek.com/technology/air-breathing-sabre-concept-gains-credibility

This may be of interest to you.

I’m really quite excited about SABRE.

It has the potential to make proper resource exploitation of the solar system possible before a Space Elevator is built (prob sometime around 2080 – I might live to see that!).

I wonder how long before they start improvising a rear-firing MG, though… or just step-up to a CitationJet and leave the Tucanos behind. If it’s anything like the maritime scenario then they’ll keep escalating, I’ve heard that they have submarines now!

FAC have Kfirs don’t they?

Another solution would be the USAF to rent a couple of F-16s to the FAC (for free).
Have Columbians pilot them off American soil and thus allows for safe basing of “friendly” fast jets.
I would think the American people (and govt) would regard the money well spent.

[Eat sh!t and die druggies.]

Has anyone done a breakdown of just how much the B version is estimated to have cost the program in time and money?

[i.e. how much would it have taken in time/money to do A and C alone.]

edit: Its something that should be done, especially by the US DoD and congress just to see how much they’ve f**ked up by thinking they were chasing cost efficiencies.