Fighter Gap Bigger Than Predicted

[Reconjoe]

Hehe please dont turn this into a bashing thread, just like every grunt we have our gripes we hold on to, (flak jackets, lack of school funds, no ammo to train, MP's) and ch46's while they get us there an back, also scare us....just a grunt thing I didnt vote it in myself I'll talk to them at the next meeting

 

[Flash]

This sounds suspiciously like the constantly changing G-limits on Prowlers. NAVAIR would crunch some new numbers and instead of 10% of the fleet having the most restricitons, all of the sudden 50% of the fleet was. Then a few months later they would come back with another figure.

 

[squorch2]

What about the mine shaft gap? We can hardly afford to have one!

 

[Fog]

Agree completely w/ ReconJoe: the Marines are crazy to hang onto all their old F-18A-D's when they could be getting E & Fs for 2/3 of what they'll pay for the F-35B. Also, they could wire their F models for the VAQ role and not have to buy another dedicated jamming a/c.

 

[Banjo33]

For conversations sake, is the consensus among the "educated" masses, that the MC should go with Supers, vice the -35? From the briefings we've recieved and having flown the sim several times, the JSF is a HUGE technological leap ahead...albeit at a substantial monetary cost. Just an idea from way out in left field, but it seems to me that we (pilots) stand to benefit from this (spending the money now on a next-generation fighter), especially the next generation pilots. I figure if we were to stick with "tried and true" and not invest the money now, it would just make us obsolete more quickly in favor of (unfortunately) more capable UAVs. No doubt about it, we're going to be replaced...the question is how soon? Me rambling...

 

[Fog]

My point, if I have one, is that the USMC shouldn't have an all-F-35B fleet of a/c. They have about 100 Harriers & 200 F-18s now. They could/should have a similar mix of F-35Bs & Super Hornets in the future. The Super Hornet, wired for EW as the Aussies are doing, could be a great fighter, attack & jamming a/c. They would save several billions of $$ doing this. But then, they didn't ask me.
The best thing about my idea is that it saves careers for about 500 Marine NFO's.

 

[Brett327]

This sounds suspiciously like the constantly changing G-limits on Prowlers. NAVAIR would crunch some new numbers and instead of 10% of the fleet having the most restricitons, all of the sudden 50% of the fleet was. Then a few months later they would come back with another figure.

Funny end to the Prowler FLE saga: Several months ago, whatever engineer that NAVAIR is currently listening to decreed that FLE was OBE, so they reverted back to the "admin" limits of -1.0 to +4.5. They've done away with the 3G, 4G, etc. jets, and getting a 5G hit no longer involves a trip to the Skipper's office.

Brett

 

[Flash]

Funny end to the Prowler FLE saga: Several months ago, whatever engineer that NAVAIR is currently listening to decreed that FLE was OBE, so they reverted back to the "admin" limits of -1.0 to +4.5. They've done away with the 3G, 4G, etc. jets, and getting a 5G hit no longer involves a trip to the Skipper's office.

Brett

Figure that. Don't worry though, you might get a chance to ride a 2G jet once again if NAVAIR stays true to form!