“the F15 has scored over 100 dogfight victories with zero loss”…

Rrriiiggghttt

Nic

See following for USMC use of FOBs during Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

http://elementsofpower.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/f35b-agitprop-ala-sweetman.html

From AV-8B Harrier II Units of Operation Enduring Freedom.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EjzDCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT97&ots=k73F_PxxqM&dq=av-8b%20fob%20dwyer&pg=PT97#v=onepage&q=av-8b%20fob%20dwyer&f=false

Thanks for the info but I’m quite certain both the Gripen & the Rafale could operate from a 4100+ft airfield if required.

Nic

STOVL has proven useful several times

Ahem

South Atlantic,

It worked because:
1/ the argies didn’t go all in and did not dare base a squadron of air defense on the Falklands. Mirage III in their operational range would have made short work of the SH.
2/ the UK had ditched anything else they could use so they had to make do with Harriers & probably thanked God the argies didn’t base a squadron on the Islands.

Desert Storm, Kandahar, Libya.

So when was a harrier based on anything else than an air force base during those operations.

I’m pretty sure the Harrier works, but when has it ever worked on forward operating bases than another aircraft can’t use?

Nic

SAAB was selling Gripen E for the MMRCA. It was not available in 2011, and India wanted quick availability.

India? Quick availability? lol

Switzerland compared Gripen C vs competition. They selected Gripen E.

They compared the versions tested and in round 2 they compared proposed evolutions, including what would turn out to be the Gripen E.

In Brazil, the Rafale did not provide enough bang for the buck, and the US screwed up by spying.

In Brazil they didn’t have enough buck to get the bang.

Nic

Assad has to be secured first… so that Russia can continue to have one puppet country in the middle east, no matter the casualties.

And ISIS has not been defeated yet.

If you want to solve the problem and get rid of Assad the puppet dictator, arm the millions of migrants that flee Syria ( many if not mostof them men of military age ) and send them back to fight. Check how the Kurds are fighting with minimal equipment. We could provide the air support, artillery, etc, but of course if we do that that can escalate with the Russians who want to keep their dictator in place, sounds familiar?

Reading Liberation too much?

The spec is for 70mph moving target capability and the GBU-12 simply cannot do that. The weapon needs to properly lead the target and be able to change direction as needed (per the .2g @ 40mph spec).

The laser never “leads” the target, it’s up to the weapon to lead the target based on speed, angle of attack, altitude, etc.

So does the AASM fit in the weapons bay?

Nic

The AASM sounds too expensive for that kind of target, a GBU-12 can do the job.

One thing I am a bit skeptical about is the accuracy if you fire the gun to the side like that. The gun is particularly useful for danger close situations, so you want to keep the accuracy.

AASM has a way better firing envelope than the GBU12, which means you can fire almost instantly after detecting a target. With GBU12 you need to maneuver, which will make you waste time, esp in a A400M.

You could add some brimstones under the other wing.

As for the accuracy of the gun, you don’t have to fire all 8 at the same time. And you’d obviously install them on mobile mounts in order to be able to aim them accurately.

Nic