USN Another call to "bring back S-3's" (Vikings are Zombies)

[Uncle Fester]

There’s even less chance of the Tom returning than the Hoov. The parts stock was deliberately destroyed to make sure the Iranians wouldn’t get ahold of any parts. But hey, I’m sure we could get a couple up and running again...this one’s in great shape, looks like:

Was National Interest ever a reputable defense blog? Ever since I’ve started reading them their ideas have gone from impractical to straight stupid. For a site that purports to be serious defense thinking, it sounds like none of their authors have the slightest notion of how budgeting, programming, or flight test work. They have authors who should know better, but more and more like some know-it-all airshow geeks.

 

[Jim123]

The first comment under the article might be the most sensible (well, least senseless) thought on the topic- bring back the F-20.

You know... they'd all be new build, ha ha.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Quit all these common sense arguments on building Naval Aviation with practical means to project power and engaging in meaningful leadership and warrior culture.

We will rock the battle space because our sexual harassment and rape prevention education programs are second to none!

and breast cancer awareness - yes. Thats the path to excellence.

Return of the S-3 and Tomcat - Meh!

 

[sevenhelmet]

A bit of devil's advocate here: What's the point of putting all those jets in the desert, then? In an era of budget cutbacks and byzantine acquisition processes (and processes within processes, ad nausem...), why wouldn't we want a (slightly) simpler solution that is already built? But nope, we need to ramrod the requirements through for a sexy new UAV, because New Hotness! (meanwhile we are using 20 year old computer software for fitreps, but I digress...). We might as well just sell the jets in the desert for scrap metal- they don't seem to be there for any viable reason that I can see.

 

[Jim123]

I thought navfit 98a was the update in the early 2000s to the original 98. Thus we are using fifteen year old software. Come to think of it, the CHIEFEVAL* patch isn't even ten years old. The more I think about it, navfit 98a block II standard is to navfit 98 as the F-14D was to the original F-14... 98a is like the Super Hornet of evaluation software... the 60 Romeo, the P-3 AIP birds...


* one word in all caps, like TOPGUN

 

[Uncle Fester]

A bit of devil's advocate here: What's the point of putting all those jets in the desert, then? In an era of budget cutbacks and byzantine acquisition processes (and processes within processes, ad nausem...), why wouldn't we want a (slightly) simpler solution that is already built? But nope, we need to ramrod the requirements through for a sexy new UAV, because New Hotness! (meanwhile we are using 20 year old computer software for fitreps, but I digress...). We might as well just sell the jets in the desert for scrap metal- they don't seem to be there for any viable reason that I can see.

Parts commonality, in some cases; you can cannabilze old jets in the desert for other platforms. There’s always the possibility a foreign customer might be interested in them, or something for domestic civil use. And keeping them in the Boneyard costs next to nothing. But yes, at some point it does become a “why are we keeping all this old junk in storage if we’re never going to use it?”

 

[Jim123]

devil's advocate

Just FYI, this phrase is a square on the staff officer bingo card or a "take a drink" on the popular drinking game version.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Just FYI, this phrase is a square on the staff officer bingo card or a "take a drink" on the popular drinking game version.

Lucky for me I'm not a staff officer.

 

[Brett327]

Also, didn’t all the F-14s get chopped up to prevent pilfering of parts for Iran?

 

[707guy]

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...wish-bring-back-the-old-f-14-tomcat-the-25206

Beat me to it...

 

[707guy]

Also, didn’t all the F-14s get chopped up to prevent pilfering of parts for Iran?

According to AMARC's website there are 10 Toms still in the inventory there; 4 A's, 2 B's, 3 D's and one NF-14A

http://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=205&Itemid=274#

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Sigh. I’ll post it again . . .

To many it will never be accepted, like that one girl 20 years ago that some guy thought was "the one", damn she was hot

 

[Gatordev]

According to AMARC's website there are 10 Toms still in the inventory there; 4 A's, 2 B's, 3 D's and one NF-14A

http://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=205&Itemid=274#

I wonder how true/current that is. In 2010 when I dropped off an aircraft and we got the "special" tour, we were told they were all gone from AMARC. There may be one or two, but 10 seems like a lot to have missed when we were driving around.

 

[707guy]

I wonder how true/current that is. In 2010 when I dropped off an aircraft and we got the "special" tour, we were told they were all gone from AMARC. There may be one or two, but 10 seems like a lot to have missed when we were driving around.

Not sure at all - although the database page shows a "latest inventory date" of 3/21/18

 

[Gonzo08]

To many it will never be accepted, like that one girl 20 years ago that some guy thought was "the one", damn she was hot

Great White Buffalo.....