Program Office and Lockheed make nice.

Still a fan of the F-35 but my antenna is up for spin and manipulation.


I guess the program office and LM are making nice.  Why do I say that?  Pics released and a vid from NAVAIR that you see above.

I guess the good Admiral is trying to be friendly after telegraphing the report that came out.

CF-2 Flight 41

U.S. Marine Corp Maj. C.R. Clift flies F-35C test aircraft CF-2 for its 41st flight. (Lockheed Martin photo by Michael D. Jackson)

U.S. Marine Corp Maj. C.R. Clift flies F-35C test aircraft CF-2 for its 41st flight. (Lockheed Martin photo by Michael D. Jackson)

U.S. Marine Corp Maj. C.R. Clift flies F-35C test aircraft CF-2 for its 41st flight. (Lockheed Martin photo by Michael D. Jackson)

BF-5

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Fred Schenk flies F-35B test aircraft BF-5 in short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) mode during the aircraft’s 24th flight. (Lockheed Martin photo by Michael D. Jackson)

F-35B test aircraft BF-5 flies in STOVL mode for the first time on Dec. 5, 2011, on its 21st flight. (Lockheed Martin photo by Andy Wolfe)

AAV forever????

via DefenseMediaNetwork.  Check out the entire article but this stood out and punched me in the eye.

ACV program plans seem to be coalescing around an approach outlined, “As approved at the ACV Material Development Decision (MDD), the ACV program has been approved to enter a combined Material Solution Analysis/Technology Development Phase. An In Process Review will be held after the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), at which time the material solution will be set and the subsequent Milestones will be established. For this RFI, the government is looking for industry input into an incremental acquisition program to deliver a series of incremental capability upgrades in order to inform ongoing affordability analyses. This could be achieved either through delivery of a baseline new vehicle with subsequent planned upgrades, or a set of planned upgrades to the legacy vehicle. The overall intent is to minimize the per vehicle cost of each of the increments without stretching the program over more than three increments, and preferably only two.”

Wow.

I don't know where I'm at with this type of thinking.  "A set of planned upgrades to the legacy vehicle"...WTF!

HQMC initially stated that they would be upgrading the AAV while developing and getting into service the ACV.

Now we might be left with the laughable position of the AAV getting renamed and rewrapped again.  Aviation----you're killing the ground side-----but if that is the game plan then it does make the Marines EXTREMELY frugal again.

Color me confused.

India to buy 42 Super Sukhoi's...

via Defense Talk...

After negotiating for more than a year, India has firmed up an order with Russia for the purchase of 42 upgraded Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft to strengthen its aging fleet. An agreement confirming this purchase will be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Russia starting Thursday.
While the Cabinet Committee on Security had taken a decision on buying 42 additional Sukhoi MKIs last year, negotiations have taken longer because India was also keen to include some of the features found in fifth generation fighter aircraft. Finally, the Russian side agreed to upgrade the SU-30 MKIs to its latest version known as ‘Super Sukhoi’ with additional characteristics.

Read the whole thing but this part has me intrigued...a Sukhoi with 5th gen characteristics???

Makes me think of a Russian Stealth Eagle.

I wonder if its possible?  A google search didn't provide much more information except for this article...

Most significantly, the aircraft will be able to carry a heavier weapon load, including the airborne version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, he added.
Fedorov said the 'Super Sukhoi' will be a potent aircraft similar in features to a fifth generation aircraft. However, he refused to provide specific details of the upgrade, stating that the exact nature of this was still to be decided between the Indian and Russian sides.
Discussions are currently on regarding various aspects of the proposed upgrade, he said.
The Irkut chief did not provide any indication of the cost of the upgrade project. However, going by the general cost trends of similar upgrades, the price could run close to $1 billion.
Meanwhile, HAL is upbeat over its participation in the cutting-edge technology fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project.

Wow.

I did a piece on the potency of the SU-34.  Now with the Russian Stealth Eagle in the offering its time to get our house in order with a quickness.  Add to the mix the BrahMos missile and you've got trouble in a handbag for amphibious shipping.

Every part of our air defense/air supremacy infrastructure needs to be examined.  Our air to air missiles, our anti-air and our anti-missile defense systems need to get updated.

Lightning Strikes Thrice

The first three-ship F-35A formation flight occurred over the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB on 10 December 2011. Flying lead was Maj. Matthew Hayden in AF-2, with Lt. Col. Dwayne Opella in AF-3, and Maj. Steven Spears in AF-4 forming up on his wing. This was Flight 85 for AF-4.

Light anti-AFV vehicle...

The JLTV issue continues but I saw this pic on the Survivable Combat Vehicle website and noticed that they have mounted an ATK light weight 25mm cannon onto one.

This is the real 'revolution' in military affairs that the theorist talk about but are unable to implement.  A humvee sized vehicle able to engage and defeat AFV's several tons heavier (if the proper ammo is equipped).

A motorized Marine Infantry Company would have the ability to range far and possible engage heavier forces or defeat larger infantry based forces with a little more out of the box thinking.  Granite/Textron...I like it!

UPDATE:
Specs on the ATK-25 mm gun can be found here....

Raptor Parade?

Wow.  I am absolutely dumb founded!  A parade for an airplane?  Wow.  Just plain wow.

THE USAF...The Storm Is Coming.

They're getting better at the propaganda! 

Royal Navy and Air Force shortcomings are exposed....

British naval strategy is in piss poor state.  In days long past, Nimrods would have been scrambled and fighters would be passing by port and starboard to annoy, and warn the Russians that they were under watch.

This response is simply pathetic.  Also note that the aircraft carrier in question has more firepower (not including the air arm) than the destroyer that is supposedly escorting it.

Pic of the day. Typhoon creates a tornado...

via David Cenciotti's blog the Aviationist

F-22...want to save it? Here's how!

Last F-22 off the assembly line..via Lockheed Martin

F-22 fans and air power advocates are all up in arms over the last F-22 rolling off the assembly line.  I'm agnostic.  I really don't care one way or the other and to be frank, believe that a pure air superiority airplane in this day and age is a non-starter.

But to those that do think that its worthwhile, I have a two birds with one stone solution...a solution that surprises because no one has mentioned it in a long time.

Why not build the FB-22 for the next gen bomber?  That would get the airplane into USAF service rather quickly...would maintain aspects of F-22 production and with the distances involved in the Pacific could easily form the basis for the next generation fighter.

Boeing would howl but hey...who cares?

UPDATE:

This is the Wikipedia entry on the FB-22...

In 2002, Lockheed Martin began studying a modified bomber version of the F-22 Raptor fighter, featuring a delta wing, longer body and greater range and payload.^[1] The FB-22 medium bomber is based on existing and planned capabilities of the F-22 fighter, a heritage that would limit development costs and risks should the idea go into production. The FB-22 was planned to serve as a regional bomber, a role previously covered by the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark.^[2]
The FB-22 differs from the original F-22 design significantly. A lengthened fuselage and larger delta wing provide greater fuel capacity for greater range of some 1,600 miles (2,600 km).^[2] This also allows room for a larger internal weapons bay, better suiting long range attack missions and improved stealth.^[3] Changing to an improved engine such as the F-35 Lightning II's Pratt & Whitney F135, or the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 is possible.^[4] The FB-22 would have a maximum speed of Mach 1.92.^[5]
One early FB-22 concept featured no tailplanes.^[5] The FB-22 design incorporated twin tailplanes and likely would have fixed engine nozzles as opposed to the thrust vectoring nozzles on the F-22.^[5] The FB-22 design could carry 30 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB), which weigh just 250 pounds (110 kg), compared with the F-22's payload of eight.^[1]

I can tell you one thing.  Extended development times is the killing our military.

10 years and we have an aborted EFV?  FCS was in development for a similar amount of time before it was taken down to the river and drowned.  Same with Crusader...same with F-22...F-35...you get the point.

The only programs that are getting it done and out the door is the much maligned LCS, AH-1Z/UH-1Y (and the original design proposal for the AH-1Z first appeared in the 90's in the form of the Super Viper) and even the promising and much needed CH-53K is being delayed--even though they're ready to start churning them out....

To start from scratch for a next gen bomber when the proposed FB-22 fills the bill is beyond stupid.  Setup the specs, get it done and get it into squadron service.  That is if we really need it.  And listening to all the airpower guys we really do.

UPDATE 1:

Paulicus found this study on the FB-22.  Seems that at one time the USAF was beyond gung-ho about the idea.  A light quick read so enjoy.

RS21848