Both Israel and Saudi Arabia got second-hand USAF F-15C’s after the 1991 Gulf War.

AMARC is US military mostly (there are some civil planes stored there as well, although the 707 airliners for example are still USAF-owned) and is at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. An on-line inventory used to be available, but of course it’s strategic information nowadays and is no longer available.

The bulk of the airliners in desert storage are at Marana, also in AZ. Dunno how much is there, and you’d better check with people who care.

Well, the USAr will be pretty much forced to consider, if not buy, something furrin’ to fill the gap the RAH-66 cancellation leaves. The whole idea of cascading Kiowas to the Guards and Reserves because their active role in the regular forces would be fulfilled by the AH-64D and (later) RAH-66 was already disturbed quite a bit by Operation Iraqi Fiefdom (c), but now it’s an accute problem.

And while i’m sure that part of the recon/obs and light attack role can be taken over by drones, there are roles like escort, light support and light utility (yes, an UH-60 is awfully big to bring a fresh toothbrush to the platoon CO) where a Predator other UAV just won’t work. Also, retasking all Guards/Reserves helo units to become transport/assault units just because there aren’t any light armoured helos available doesn’t look like an option to me. ESSS Blackhawks might be an interim solution, but not really practical.

So what are the options?
Bell 206 (and follow-ons) airframes are still available, but they are Canadian-built nowadays.
MD500/600/900 helos are available and domestic.
There’s a more modern range available in Europe, with the EC135 and A129 as newest models. Earlier models are also still on offer, and i guess the German branch of Eurocopter won’t mind selling an upgraded BK117-design once more 😀

Nothing really surprising if you ask me.

1. USAF likes the idea of STOVL JSF for CAS
Of course they do. If they wouldn’t show any interest in CAS, they might be facing the Army Aviation again in a few years like they did in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The Army is already slowly trying to pry the true tactical transport role from the USAF now – there are quite a few C-23s deployed by the Army, supplying smaller bases/outposts. Much the very same role in which they used the C-7 in Vietnam. Stating an interest in CAS again after ignoring it for decades to me seems like a political move to keep it’s turf in stead of losing it to the Army.
2. FB-22 is being considered again.
Well, it used to be a Lockeed proposal only. Considering it forces Lockheed to invest in a more serious proposal without any serious cost to the USAF. And it combines nicely with proposal number -8-
3. Upgrade A-10 with more powerful engine and smart weapon capability
What? The A-10 will get a seeker of it’s own, and won’t need to have an AGM-65 hung on it’s pylons to give it at least some long-range and/or night vision? Sheesh. That should have happened twenty years ago. Still, like with proposal -1-, it looks like a ploy to keep the Army from complaining and trying to take over the CAS role. Don’t forget that only a few months ago the A-10 was (again) considered for early retirement. Untill the Army proved in Iraq that it likes CAS support – and we can’t have the grunts do that themselves!
4. Maybe more F-15E and F-16s
Makes a lot of sense. It will take quite some time until their replacements will be delivered in quantity (especially the F-35, delays yet to follow), and attrition needs to be replaced. Also, the active USAF fleet is becoming pretty long in the tooth. New F-15 and F-16 production will rejuvenate that for at least some part.
And, as mentioned, keeping the production line open makes sense too.
5. EB-52 Jamming Bomber
There has always been a stated requirement for a large stand-off jammer to complement the EA-6B and it’s replacement ever since the tactical jamming role became a joint task with the Navy and Marines Prowler units. With the Growler replacement, a loiter-capable stand-off jammer becomes a pretty urgent requirement IMHO.
6. KC-767 is in doubts
Obviously, the USAF just escaped a pretty terrible scam. A scam so bad, that there wasn’t even a secondary option considered.
7. Un-retire B-1 bombers
To compensate for point -5-. Too bad the EB-52 wasn’t a serious plan earlier, when the B-52G airframes were still available. Now the most expensive and problematic B-1B airframes have to be revived to compensate for the shortfall in bombtrucks.
8. Retire some F-117
This is the only one which surprises me a bit, except when seen in the light of issue -2-. I can also imagine that some of the early production F-117s are airframe-wise a bit off standard, and hence a bit problematic to maintain and keep up. Retiring these could well make the rest of the fleet more effective.

Please do, it’s something new to me. I only knew of F-4Gs (SP and unmarked PN), F-111s (UH), F-15C (BT), F-16(TJ) and KC-135s at Incirlik at the time. A little googling showed there should have been four, but anything more specific (original unit or, preferably, serials) would be very welcome.

Originally posted by PhantomII
I know that USAF F-4E’s operated against targets in NW Iraqi during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

:confused: I don’t think 3TFW/PN sent any other Phantoms over than a handful of F-4Gs.What F-4E’s should that have been then? 4TFW/SJ was there on their brand-new F-15E’s, and 35TFW/GA did not deploy.

I agree with it being a MiG-25, but the -BM seems doubtful. The radome looks like a real radome to me, whereas the -BM doesn’t have a radome but a metal nose with various (dielectric) panels and two pretty distinctive humps. I don’t see anything like that, and considering the bulk of the metal on the nose section is wrinkled (probably because of the explosion), i don’t see how a metal nose like on the MiG-25BM or any MiG-25RB would remain unwrinkled like this.

Because of the relatively long distance from the windscreen to the radome itself, my take is a MiG-25PD(S). The serial is confusing me though.