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talltower

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  • in reply to: Sri Lanka Aircraft #2437180
    talltower
    Participant

    The SLAF aircraft could not gain missile locks on the LTTE light planes is because they had a heat signature too insignificant for a PL-5 (Chinese reverse-engineered copy of AIM-9D/E).

    in reply to: $290 million F-22 Raptors for Japan #2437196
    talltower
    Participant

    We don’t need F-22s for our own border.

    Where in the world would a significant threat come from that could reach the US mainland that would justify the need of a F-22 over a F-35?

    The Raptor is suited for power projection and elimination of enemy fighters with comparative ease. Air dominance will be readily established, in the hands of highly trained and skilled pilots.

    They want that number to replace the F-15s that are getting old 😉 , not because of anything to do with protecting the U.S. mainland

    How long can you keep the Eagles flying for?

    They are aging now, with at least half of them touching 30 years of age. Airframe age. The Eagle has lost her title of dominant air superiority fighter to her successor, the Raptor.

    Funny but they used completely different argumentation 🙂 Does it mean they were lying? 🙂

    P.S. Number of F-15s reflects Cold War situation. These numbers are no more required, IMHO.

    Quality and quantity combined does make a huge difference, especially with the pro-Raptor lobbyists within the USAF top brass.

    in reply to: $290 million F-22 Raptors for Japan #2437513
    talltower
    Participant

    Why not just sell them the much vaunted F-35? :rolleyes:

    The JASDF would not want the F-35, because it does not have the longer legs of the F-22 Raptor and it has a single engine, less suitable for flying with wet feet, but it could be a replacement for their F-2s.

    in reply to: The PAK-FA Saga Episode VIII #2437519
    talltower
    Participant

    Brilliant!

    B.t.w. can you manage some good source on that claim, hopefully in English?

    Thanks

    Don’t hold your breath any longer, because we’re patiently waiting for the Raptorski’s debut.

    in reply to: MMRCA news (including the Rafale bid) #2437669
    talltower
    Participant

    What are the choices for the Indian Air Force in their selection to create a 126-plane fleet of Gen 4.5 multi-role fighters?

    The Eurofighter Typhoon is a rip-off, because EADS-Eurofighter made it that way, the Rafale has bugged out of the competition due to the Froggish arrogance from Dassault Aviation, the Pakistan Air Force already operates F-16 Vipers and the JAS 39 Gripen is strikingly similar to the HAL Tejas in terms of performance and appearance, minus the canard foreplanes.

    That leaves the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, aka Superbug and the MiG-35 Fulcrum-F, aka Super Fulcrum.

    If the IAF brass selects the Superbug, then the fighter fleet would be diversified in terms of aircraft form foreign nations, whereas if they choose the Super Fulcrum, then the largest MiG fighter fleet outside Russia just got fatter.

    in reply to: $290 million F-22 Raptors for Japan #2437677
    talltower
    Participant

    Another article detailing about possible Raptor exports to JASDF

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/f-22j.htm

    in reply to: $290 million F-22 Raptors for Japan #2437997
    talltower
    Participant

    If the ATD-X becomes operational, then so be it, the JASDF won’t become a future operator of the F-22 Raptor.

    in reply to: Why no F-100 for the Luftwaffe ? #2438010
    talltower
    Participant

    It did.
    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3257819379_e9b793a11a.jpg

    Oh, thanks for the correct answer.

    in reply to: Delta launches Australian route #532370
    talltower
    Participant

    Then I’d wanna fly Delta if I wanted to go to the States.

    Would you?

    in reply to: Cheap air forces: surplus military aircraft #2438365
    talltower
    Participant

    With surplus military aircraft, you can build your air force at budget price!

    $$$$

    in reply to: Why no F-100 for the Luftwaffe ? #2438370
    talltower
    Participant

    As squadron- or wing-leaders, without those, it has been impossible to have 12 wings with some fighting capability within 4 years only. The bill for cutting corners did show up in the 60s, when the young soldiers were willing to take every risk, but the experiences from shortcomings of that behavior were not learned already. In the hindsight, the 60s were a “wild” time, when the kind of flying was pushed to the limits. By the way not restricted by the war-time experts used to that. Most of that kind of flying is no longer allowed for safety reasons.

    The Luftwaffe figured it didn’t need the Super Sabre because its East German counterpart, the Luftstreitkrafte der NVA, did not have the MiG-19 Farmer.

    in reply to: The PAK-FA Saga Episode VIII #2438377
    talltower
    Participant

    Well 2009 is half gone and still no PAK-FA sighting. I’m really hopeful we catch at least a glimpse of a flying jet, preferably in video but pics will suffice.. I have a nagging suspicion though that the Russians will give us a short tantalizing glimpse only to keep us hanging for the next 5 years while they continue their testing and development in secret.:D

    What about a satellite shot of the PAK FA?

    Oh, maybe it’s in the factory along with several other PAK FA prototypes, unless a Sukhoi employee decides to leak secret images and data out on the ‘Net, but he’d be reluctant to risk his livelihood doing so.

    in reply to: Indian Jaguar with EL/M-2032 radar? #2438394
    talltower
    Participant

    Since this thread has been revived: Is the Jaguar still built in India, or has the production ended ? Just curious…

    Licensed production of the Jaguar by HAL ended years ago.

    in reply to: Why no F-100 for the Luftwaffe ? #2438398
    talltower
    Participant

    In the late 50s, the MiG-21 did show, that it would be the yardstick in the 60s.
    From 1956 the new Luftwaffe had to train personal and built new units from the scratch. It did so with US-instructors. For that proven and surplus US-fighters were used to have 12 wings from 1960. The interim generation of F-100 was omitted and seen obsolete for the 60s already.

    A small bunch of German World War II veteran pilots, some of them experten, like Erich Hartmann, joined the ranks of the new West German Luftwaffe, IIRC.

    in reply to: The PAK-FA Saga Episode VIII #2438415
    talltower
    Participant

    The Su-50 PAK FA’s first flight would be a wake-up call to the USAF top brass, whom their support of the Raptor over the Lightning II still remains high.

    More sabers will rattle if they’re exported outside Russia to air forces of countries hostile to the West.

    What do you think?

Viewing 15 posts - 346 through 360 (of 406 total)