Ive been busy took me a while to find this one!
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Why does the Marine Corps have its own "Air Force"?
- Thread starter SoICanBeFree
- Start date
Ive been busy took me a while to find this one!
Are you kidding, almost a year and a half and you bring the thread back up?...I don't see a point in continuing this unless someone has some NEW questions or information to add...
To move their troops around and provide them close air support, things the USAF seems reluctant to do........
To move their troops around and provide them close air support, things the USAF seems reluctant to do........
except Apaches dont fly CAS usually
Too busy being targets?
I also found it interesting that the Apaches wasn't even designed for CAS, but rather as an anti-armor weapon against a Soviet invasion...surprising that they haven't adapted roles yet...
To move their troops around and provide them close air support, things the USAF seems reluctant to do........
A-10
The USAF was trying to get rid of the A-10 for years, and only recently has made a modest investment into upgrading what is basically the same plane that was introduced in the 80's. While the F-16's keep getting block upgrades and the F-15's are gradually modified, just recently did the A-10C test fly http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123033331 . Compare the amount of money that has gone into the A-10 vs the F-16, F-15 and especially the F-22, then tell me 'big' USAF cares about CAS.
As for transport, while there are plenty of C-17's and C-5's to go around (just try and schedule one on short notice though, it is a nightmare), there are very few intra-theater transports to go around. I am not talking about C-130's, though they are hurting with their wing-box problems and C-130J intro difficulties, but there are only a handful of smaller C-27 or C-235/295 type aircraft that the Army so desperatly needs to supply its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army is relying on C-23's and CH-47's to do this job because the USAF is not responsive enough and doesn't have enough C-130's and also because the normal method, ground convoys, are extremely hazardous. As a result, the Army is rapidly using up the finite life of the Sherpas and Chinooks to supply its troops in-country. What has the Air Force done in response? Hold up the procurement of intra-theater transport by demanding they have control over them instead of the Army.
http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/Business/050906_cargo.html
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/05/the-jca-program-key-west-sabotage/index.php
It is a said commentarry but the USAF seems to only concern itself with the F-22, the B-2, satellites and other really cool things like 'space wings'. Everything else be damned.......
Recidivist
Registered User
I think you guys are looking at this whole thread wrong.
The real Question is "Why does the Air Force Exist?"
The real Question is "Why does the Air Force Exist?"
I think you guys are looking at this whole thread wrong.
The real Question is "Why does the Air Force Exist?"
Well, the Navy would have one hell of a time doing strike warfare without them.
Brett
Yep. Fun to make fun of AF, but they're important.
Sounds like a doctrinal thing.
Brett327 said:
Sounds like a doctrinal thing.
Much simpler than that....they give; we receive.....gas that is...
BTW, last time I heard, Army had more boats than the Navy (much smaller though) and more aircraft than the Air Force (mainly rotorheads) so why begrudge USMC or Navy fo rhaving their own Air Force??
Little known fact: When Presdient Kennedy and his "posse" went aboard USS Enterprise when she was brand spanking new, the Air Wing markings were "AF" and someone asked what all the "Air Force" aircraft were doing aboard a Navy aircraft carrier. Virtually on the spot, the markings were simply changed to "AE" and "AF" wasn't used until Reserve Air Wing adopted it.