the tongue of the cod fish.

Quite the delicacy where I come from…

Another expensive delay in military aviation, will anything ever come in time and on budget?…

A great question. An at least partial solution is to mandate fixed price contracts up front that require the level of risk to be handled by the contractors and that they have to eat the costs of delays. If they cannot deliver the goods they are either promising up front what they cannot deliver or outright lying.

As well governments need to stop using defense procurements as industrial development tools. The F-22 for example has parts in it from literally all 50 US states. This was of course done intentionally by LM to ensure a level of congressional and senate support when budgets are drafted. Eurofighter has four production lines for 500 airframes approximately…This is madness and only breeds ineffeciencies, over complexity and unecessary delays.

While not combat aircraft…
Both the UK and Argentina used C-130s in the Falklands.

Japan and the allies used DC-3s, Lockheed Lodestars and Beech 17s.

I’m sure Isreal and Iran would have a few common types (transports, helicopters…are they still flying Phantoms?).

And as pointed out in the most recent FlyPast, during the 1980 failed U.S. hostage rescue mission, the U.S.and Iran both operated C-130s, H-53s, and Phantoms.

The Iranians only operated the H-53’s that were left behind. They did not IIRC operate them previously to the ‘Desert One’ incident.

More C-130 J and C-17 purchases perhaps?

How does a cargo helicopter suddenly catch fire?

I assume they are referring to a KA-31 or even a KA-29. Engine fires do take place from time to time, even in robust vehicles like the KA-29/31 family. I believe they use the same powerplant as the Mi-8 Hip (TV3-117VM turboshafts I think??) and even those machines break down from time to time. It could also happen during a hot refuellling where the helo lands, keeps it’s engines running and has a hose attached by a deck crew. Fires can often start in those kinds of circumstances.

Prayers for the ship’s company and hopefully nobody else was hurt.

China has apparently made quite good usage of the soviet KV-4 plants and in fact they and their chinese derevations apparently is regarded in PLAN as the most trusted and confident propulsion arragments. Altough this gives grey hairs to PLAN DDG ambitions, it actually could solve issues regarding the carrier propulsion: Varyag was mented to have four twin-boiler/turbine arragments of the same type as already in use of PLANs vessels.

Of this penny discussion between the PLAN fanboys and western doupters, the silliest thing is that they depate over fixed timeframes given by some reporters. All the facts and better quesses speaks that the carrier plans are at full steam in China. Wheter it’s completing Varyag or building indegenious hulls or both doesen’t matter, there will be carriers in emergin from china in next 10 years.

One of our naval officers once said that it takes about 10 years to get some brand new weaponsystem fully operational in it’s full potential. I assume that this is quite good thumprule for carriers as well, tough the complexity of the whole aircraft carrier concept may take even more time. For PLAN you need to remember that it is still in transform state from soviet 50’s era coastal defence force into proper western style navy and has introduced alot of new systems and conceps of naval warfare to it’s inventory during the last ten years. That needs to be kept in mind when dreaming about PLANs glorious cruises with their new carrier task forces to satisfy the wet daydreams of western-living chinese teenagers;);)

As for catabults, I’m 80% certain that the first generation of chinese carriers will be fielding the STOBAR arragement so no catabults is needed.

I want to give you full credit for the bost even handed and balanced assessment so far in this thread. Well done.

So long as Canada keeps sending those Snipers!
What’s the current record for a kill, 2,300 metres? Fantastic!

From a fellow Fighting Newfoundlander no less!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Furlong

Rob Furlong, a former corporal of the Canadian Forces, holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat. Established in 2002, it exceeds Carlos Hathcock’s 1967 record of 2,286 m (7,500 ft) by 144 m (472 ft). Born in Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle ambidextrously.

In 2002, he participated in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan’s Shah-i-Kot Valley as a member of the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). His sniper team included MCpl. Graham Ragsdale (Team Commander), MCpl. Tim McMeekin, MCpl. Arron Perry, Cpl. Dennis Eason. A three-man al-Qaeda weapons team was moving into a mountainside position when Furlong took aim with his Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW), a .50-caliber McMillan Brothers Tac-50 rifle. He began firing at a fighter carrying an RPK machine gun. His first shot missed entirely, and his second shot hit the knapsack on the militant’s back. The third struck the target’s torso, killing him. The distance was measured as 2,430 metres (2,657 yd / 1.509 miles).