SlowManBy the way, the topic is abt DPRK and airpower :rolleyes:
What good is air power when there is not enough food to feed the troops. Starved troops won’t last a week in real war.
Nuclear North Korea entreats Mongolia for help in feeding its people
Kim Jong-un, the young leader in Pyongyang, finds that destabilizing East Asia can help build quite an appetite.The ambassador from Pyongyang to Ulan Bator officially has claimed that a “severe food shortage” may be in the offing, and his country is seeking relief.
North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong-un has been threatening nuclear war, raising tensions, using scant fuel resources to drive his mobile rocket launchers around in anticipation of another test; last week Mr. Kim shut a joint North-South industrial park at Kaesong that earns hard currency.
But when it comes to actually feeding people at a time of expected shortfall in the corn crop, Kim is apparently hoping that Mongolians will take pity.
Koreans and Mongolians trace their linguistic heritage to the Altaic family of languages – of which China is not a part – and there is a robust back and forth of tourists and trade between Seoul and Ulan Bator on East Asian Airlines, with Koreans often fascinated by their roots among the plains peoples.
The Wall Street Journal today reported that:
“North Korea may face (a) severe food shortage,” [North Korean] Ambassador Hong Gyu told [Mongolian] President [Tsakhiagiin] Elbegdorj, according to the account. Mr. Hong then asked for Mongolia to consider the possibility of delivering food aid to North Korea, the Journal reported.
The food situation is such that North Korea seeks food aid from their “brothers” Mongolians, but Mongolia is the last place to seek rice; I don’t understand why North Korea has not sought food aid from their other “brother” Turkey.
SlowManIncreased cost due to program cost increase:
Unintended consequence of gutting the LRIP schedule in a short-sighted attempt to save money. While unintended, it was completely foreseeable and inexcusable.
So you are saying Japan has only itself to blame for the F-35 acquisition disaster.
Too bad Japan’s cries are being heard by countries about to make decisions on F-35 purchases.
SlowManhttp://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/130414/amr13041401000000-n1.htm
Japanese are crying because their cost of first four F-35 acquisition just went up 81% due to exchange rate rise and the cost overrun of the F-35 itself.
Japanese parliament originally approved 10.4 billion yen as the unit price of first four units to be directly imported, but that figure has risen to 18.9 billion yen due to the exchange rate shift and the rise in the cost of F-35 itself.
Because the signed contract was an FMS contract, Japanese government must pay for this cost rise.
– – – Updated – – –
Based on the Japanese F-35 acquisition disaster, anyone buying F-35 at this point is committing a financial suicide.
SlowManWell, interior is not bad for a training cruise ship.
SlowMan… is not a third-generation aircraft.
Mig-31 BM is a 3rd generation jet with an updated avionics and sensors.
SlowManMig-31 BM.
SlowManEPE does not improve the ability to get to target and destroy it with bombs, but the CFTs and pods do.
Actually the EPE in its 26,400 lbs setting drastically improves the Super Hornet’s acceleration, a valuable feature in dogfighting with China’s advanced types in the AirSea battle. Remember that the Super Hornet is the US Navy’s primary A2A platform regardless of the F-35C(Which is exclusively a strike jet), so any upgrade that helps its A2A capability helps.
SlowManHopefully they airstrike your ISP so we don’t have to read your nonsense ever again 🙂
Better yet, report this site as an anti-CCP propaganda site to the CCP and you will never hear from zhengpao and his fellow Chinese nationalists again.
SlowManAll.
I hope all US F-18s get the upgrade.
The Growler could really use the new engines due to the draggy pods and the F-22/35 would also benefit from the SWP (Stealth Weapons Pods) development.
SlowManThe benefits that Boeing enjoys in the Korean Contest and the items that might swing the contest towards Boeing do not exist anywhere else.
1. Korea already fly’s F-15Ks (no JSF Partner does)
Boeing’s offering Silent Hornets to Hornet/Super Hornet operators Australia and Canada.
2. Korea Co-Produces F-15Ks (no JSF Partner does)
Countries that buy Silent Hornet will get a significant industrial participation package; ie India’s producing Super Hornet airframe parts when it bought none.
3. Korea wants a large ToT deal to bolster its upcoming indigenous 5th gen program (no JSF Partner wants ToT to this level)
Who would say no to tech transfer if offered?
4. Korea is replacing 3rd line fighters (the F-4) while F-35 Partners are replacing 1st line fighters.
It’s a round-robin system, where the newest becomes the 1st line fighters.
5. Korea is mainly concerned with A2G missions while the JSF Partners have more of an eye towards A2A.
The F-35 carries too few munitions to suit Korea’s needs.
The F-35 also is the worst A2A fighter for JSF partner nations.
As you can see the F-15 offers Korea many things that have nothing to do with any other JSF Partner.
JSF partner nations also share 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The Korean Contest is no bellwether moment, more like an interesting sideshow.
To the contrary, the outcome will heavily be publicized and affect the decisions of JSF partner nations sitting on the fence.
One more bad news for the F-35. The Korea-US nuclear enrichment/reprocessing agreement negotiation fell apart yesterday and the existing agreement was extended by 2 years. The F-35 backers were hoping for a last minute dramatic swap deal between the nuclear enrichment/reprocessing and the F-35 purchase, but that scenario is now a bust and the last possible scenario for the F-35 acquisition died. Not that the DAPA would make a political decision, but the backers were hoping that the DAPA would declare the contest void(It is not possible for the F-35 to beat the Silent Eagle in open bid contests), and the president would then open a no-bid acquisition process.
http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2013/04/18/the-case-for-the-super-hornet-as-the-rcafs-new-fighter/
With the F-35 not expected to be delivered until at least 2020, this leaves another seven years with the CF-18. Seven years is a long time, especially considering that our Legacy Hornets need replacing now. The Super Hornet is available today. Canada has a good relationship with Boeing, as seen with the Globemaster and Chinook purchases (on time and on budget).
Acquiring new F/A-18s will provide a proven, capable, transparent and affordable solution, as seen with the Australians. If we were to attain Super Hornets now, then it would give us years of solid operation before we would ever see a single F-35. If the JSF is truly the fighter for Canada, then why not wait until the Block II variants of the F-35 are smoothly coming off the assembly line? It is at that point we can reassess its worth in the RCAF. However, buying Super Hornets now would not leave us with a capability gap until that point. It is a solution that would serve us today and into the future, with or without the F-35.
The Super Hornet isn’t the exact same compared to the Legacy Hornet, as it is about 20 percent larger but has 42 percent fewer structural parts, carries 33 percent more fuel, increases mission range by 41 percent and increases endurance by 50 percent over the CF-18. Despite these changes it will be a extremely familiar platform for our Technicians and Pilots which will in turn mean reduced cost, training time and loss of skill. Also, the Super Hornet offers outstanding value with cheap operating and acquisition costs. These savings are up to half of some other platforms being considered as potential CF-18 replacements, which includes the F-35.
The Boeing Super Hornet is dual-engine fighter available now with the International Roadmap Block III variant, which is a perfect fit for Canada. The main feature of this variant is the conformal fuel tanks, adding an extra 3,500 lbs of fuel. This extra fuel means increased range without adding bigger, more drag-intensive fuel tanks. Also, a new upgraded cockpit with iPhone-like touch screen display will offer higher situational awareness and F414 Enhanced Performance Engines can be added with increased thrust, lower fuel consumption and better performance across the flight envelope.
The Growler (Electronic Attack variant) should also be purchased by Canada, just as the Australians have done. It is in demand and would be a great contribution on international missions. This is also the aircraft that scored a kill on the F-22. Stealth is debatable, and the US Navy isn’t gambling on solely hiding from the enemy with it. They believe jamming enemy defences is the way of the future.
“The next generation jammer (it is actually called the Next Generation Jammer program) will be coming online in the next couple of years and will give an enhancement in Electronic Attack capability that has never been seen before, giving Canada a chance to be a part of an advanced capability.
The argument over single- and dual-engine fighters has been growing. It is true that a single engine fighter is cheaper to operate as it naturally uses less fuel, but the ability and safety of having dual engines while travelling over massive amounts of uninhabited terrain outweighs the cheaper operation of a single-engine fighter, especially given our cold winter climates with limited emergency landing locations in Canada’s North.
Unique features to the Super Hornet include the option for a two-seater variant, something the F-35 does not offer. This would allow for increased training potential in the air environment without relying solely on simulators. Another is the ability of buddy-buddy refuelling. This would allow the planes to act as mini tankers and refuel each other. Lastly, the large control surfaces of the Super Hornet designed for slow, controlled carrier landings is a perfect complement for Canada’s icy runways where slow and controlled landings are safer, along with the addition of the tail hook for run-way emergency arresting cables.
The real potential for buying Super Hornets is for the Canadian government to benefit from a partnership with Boeing and the US Navy on the future 6th Gen F/A-XX. It will be a twin engine, air-superiority and strike aircraft with a significant increase in reach, access, awareness and firepower at an affordable package in the 2025 timeframe. I see an opportunity for Canada and the RCAF to become a part of this program alongside the US navy.
This aircraft is better suited for Canada’s future needs compared to the F-35, especially in reach. I propose that buying Super Hornets will provide Boeing and the US Navy a show of support and commitment to become a partner. Industrial offsets could be greater obtained than what the F-35 is offering. In the meantime, the Super Hornet is perfectly suited for Canada’s needs now and would serve us well into the future even alongside F/A-XXs in a mixed fleet.
So Canada is interested in skipping the F-35 and jump straight to the F/A-XX?
SlowManThis is a make or break moment for the F-35; if they lose the Korean contest, then all the partner nations will start bailing out and look at the Silent Hornet instead.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/18/us-netherlands-f-idUSBRE93H16020130418
U.S. urges Dutch to stick by F-35 fighter order
By Sara WebbAMSTERDAM | Thu Apr 18, 2013 4:20pm EDT
(Reuters) – The Department of Defense urged the Netherlands on Thursday not to cut its order for advanced F-35 warplanes, saying it could end up paying more per plane if it did.
Fearing that major cuts to orders could ultimately doom the delayed and over-budget $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project, U.S. officials have been stepping up pressure on buyers to stick to their initial undertakings.
The Dutch government is expected to scale back its order of 85 planes to between 52 and 68, according to people close to the discussions. Purchase plans are due to be finalized this year.
But he said the timing of any cancellations was also critical and there would be “very, very little impact” on price if orders dropped were from 2022 to 2024 rather than earlier.
The F-35 program, hit by technical faults, is seven years behind schedule and 70 percent above cost estimates.U.S. officials fear any cancellations could force up prices for remaining buyers, meaning they are more likely to cancel too.
This is why the currently expected June announcement of F-35’s defeat and the Silent Eagle’s victory will be particularly painful for the JSF program, as Korea’s move will convince other nations to look for alternatives.
SlowManSlowManTaiwan holds live-fire drill, as president tells soldiers to maintain ‘sense of crisis’
Published April 16, 2013
Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan has held its first large-scale live-fire military exercise in five years, as President Ma Ying-jeou called on soldiers to maintain their “sense of crisis” as China builds up its military.
Ma oversaw Wednesday’s drill personally. Soldiers aided by frigates and F-16 jet fighters repelled a simulated Chinese invasion on the offshore island of Penghu.
The president told the troops that Taiwan must reinforce its defenses to build a credible deterrent in the face of cascading defense expenditures from Beijing.
SlowManhttp://www.china.org.cn/china/2013-04/17/content_28567360.htm
According to the document, the eighth of its kind issued by the Chinese government since 1998, the mobile operational units of the PLA ground force consist of 18 combined corps and several independent combined combat divisions or brigades. These units have a strength of 850,000.
The paper for the first time unveils the designations of combined corps and the military command that directs them. It also reveals that the PLA navy has 235,000 people in active service, and the air force has 398,000 servicemen and servicewomen. In addition, there is an airborne corps under the air force’s control.
PLA Army : 850,000
PLA Navy : 230,000
PLA Airforce : 398,000
SlowManThe forward fuselage of the F/A-18A/B/C/D simply won’t take the AN/APG-79 AESA radar.
Raytheon’s talking about fitting the RACR in the Hornet classic, not the AN/APG-79.
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