dark light

Owlcat

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 181 through 195 (of 254 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: LRS-B #2296248
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Supersonic also leads to heating, which leads to other problems, especially having a very detectable IR signature.

    Stealth and persistence requirements pretty much result in a LO, subsonic design. A supersonic, stealthy platform would be much more expensive.

    Fuel consumption rate is the main drawback of supersonic designs.

    For example SR-71 was designed around speed not around concealing IR signature, low observability or fuel efficiency and even if those things were weighted they were traded in favor of even greater speed.

    In the past there were suggestions that the budget for the B2 was too big for one aircraft and that it was actually funding 2 programmes.

    If you apply that logic here, then one aircraft is the deterrent (with top quality LO and endurance but more overt when it comes to readying it for battle). But the business of getting the job done suddenly and without warning could be done by something else.

    That sounds like taxpayer comfort, Cold War era money pits like B-2 contributed to Aurora’s legend but in today’s world it’s quite hard to justify a project of that magnitude to fight an imaginary enemy. Obviously budget nonsense is going to continue until the last turn of printing merry-go-round.

    The fastest and cleanest way of getting the job done are conventional ICBMs but unless one advocates for their proliferation they’re not an option.

    in reply to: LRS-B #2296376
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Supersonic flight is also useful while escaping and evading threats.

    in reply to: J-20 Thread 7 #2296686
    Owlcat
    Participant

    We can also measure it using rotor blades as measurement unit after identifying those helos :p.

    in reply to: LRS-B #2296810
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Didn’t Myasishchev worked in a subsonic flying wing during the ’80s?

    in reply to: T-50, M-346 and Yak-130 advance trainers future prospect? #2297085
    Owlcat
    Participant

    That report sounds like it considers development funds as improper subsidies. Do you have any details about specific payments to Boeing?

    Not all details but a summary of key findings can be found at WTO webpage.

    in reply to: T-50, M-346 and Yak-130 advance trainers future prospect? #2297148
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Boeing has plenty of commercial work to keep them afloat and do not need this kind of handout (nor do they deserve it).

    Nothing stops Boeing to return at least $5 billion in improper subsidies from the U.S. government to develop the 787 Dreamliner and other aircraf to US taxpayers.

    in reply to: T-50, M-346 and Yak-130 advance trainers future prospect? #2297201
    Owlcat
    Participant

    It’s not the government’s (read the people’s) job to keep certain companies in business. If they want to stay in business, then they need to produce a good product at the right price.

    Corporate welfare is not exactly something unheard of for Boeing and Lockheed.

    in reply to: L-159 for Iraq #2297275
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Their population, too, is decreasing. What did you expect? 🙂

    This mindset that not only every year your economy has to grow but it also has to grow at larger pace than the previous year is one of the reason why the world is so f*ed up with the alleged “crisis”.

    Constant growth is definitely not sustainable. Not today, when except parts of Africa and Latin America almost the whole world seeks just growth and prosperity.

    The times of massive orders of L-29s and L-39s are long gone and it’s not related to economic or populatin growth but to political decisions.

    in reply to: L-159 for Iraq #2297347
    Owlcat
    Participant

    “Declining economy” is a bit harsh term but it’s true that the production of Czech Republic continues slowing.

    in reply to: T-50, M-346 and Yak-130 advance trainers future prospect? #2297737
    Owlcat
    Participant

    All four T-X candidates are of foreign origin. The USAF specifically banned an all new domestic airframe by Boeing due to cost/timing reasons.

    Based on the USAF requirements, M-346 and Hawk are unlikely; not only they need redesigned airframe, they are too small to carry all the electronics gear, chaff/flair dispensers, etc. It is basically a F/A-50 vs Gripen fight now.

    T-X is a politically rigged competition similar to Indian MMRCA.

    T-50 has as much US made components as any other localy designed aircraft, badly foreign origin.

    in reply to: LRS-B #2297779
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Owlcat- I’m not clear, it looks like you are pulling me up on a point I have made, but I can’t see where we disagree?

    Sorry, my computer is giving me a lot of trouble lately and again I’ve ended posting just one part of a longer text :confused:.

    in reply to: Why was R-27 family such a failure? #1791722
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Misuse is the most common cause of failure in high tech systems, with a limited number of engagements the problem can be as simple as inflight wear and tear of the missiles or lack of proper storage.

    in reply to: LRS-B #2297956
    Owlcat
    Participant

    ” The USAF refuses to officially comment on the LRS-B, with the developmental effort being run as a “black programme”. The service is so concerned with security it will not confirm if a programme office has been set up, or even if there will be a competition to build the new aircraft. ”

    I suppose that this aircraft is being defined with a view to it being able to get those cruise missiles into the battle at will over a very large area of contested airspace.

    Its not about flying up to a launch point and then turning away, but more about flying where ever it wants and dropping whatever it wants.

    The article describes a big, slow moving, stealthy airframe with a spacious weapons bay filled with state of the art communications equipment and designed to operate under support of the other mayor assets of both US Navy and USAF.

    That description doesn’t correspond to a stand-alone/stand-off platform that can overcome the limitations that current bombers could face in a conflict against a capable enemy.

    No one has sent B-52s to the vicinity of a working IADS for decades and there’s noting that indicates that this is going to change with the introduction of a new bomber.

    in reply to: LRS-B #2298001
    Owlcat
    Participant

    A cruise missile with loitering capability would be cheaper and less troublesome, and lobbing smart munitions has proven politically kosher.

    in reply to: L-159 for Iraq #2298092
    Owlcat
    Participant

    Consider this:

    August 2012: 22 Hawks for about $800 million is about $36.4 per aircraft…. and this is as part of a larger package to a country that already operates legacy Hawks and that is not having to rebuild its Air Force from scratch.

    And also consider that Saudi Arabia is know to buy expensive toys at a premium price on behalf of their benefactors.

Viewing 15 posts - 181 through 195 (of 254 total)