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USMC Too many aircraft in the Marine Corps?

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Pretty sure the Brit AV-8A’s got a few A/A kills during the Falklands kerfluffle....


Sea Harriers were a little bit different than RAF GR.1/3's which is what AV-8A's were very similar too. But yes, 20 or 21 (I've seen both numbers) kills.
 
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phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
It's part of a bigger question of whether the USMC exists to counter a near-peer or to save embassies and shoot insurgents.

If the former, then the Corps needs the F-35B, although we should still apologize to the USAF and USN for making their planes suck too.

If the latter, then we could have just SLEPed the AV-8Bs and bought Rhinos to bide time until Skynet takes over CAS. We could've save a crap ton of money that way, too.
 

BarrettRC8

VMFA
pilot
Advanced Super Hornets would have been a great balance between managing future threats and maintaining our capabilities in the current fight.

As it is, TacAir has been so mismanaged that it doesn't matter - Dudes are leaving faster than our broken airplanes can get fixed. 30% of an "advanced" VMFA squadron just dropped their papers a day ago.

It'll be interesting to see where this train goes in the next year.
 

sevenhelmet

Low calorie attack from the Heartland
pilot
Advanced Super Hornets would have been a great balance between managing future threats and maintaining our capabilities in the current fight.

As it is, TacAir has been so mismanaged that it doesn't matter - Dudes are leaving faster than our broken airplanes can get fixed. 30% of an "advanced" VMFA squadron just dropped their papers a day ago.

It'll be interesting to see where this train goes in the next year.

All at once? Interesting times, indeed.
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Advanced Super Hornets would have been a great balance between managing future threats and maintaining our capabilities in the current fight.

As it is, TacAir has been so mismanaged that it doesn't matter - Dudes are leaving faster than our broken airplanes can get fixed. 30% of an "advanced" VMFA squadron just dropped their papers a day ago.

It'll be interesting to see where this train goes in the next year.

Interested to hear more about this.
 

Erin M.

Well-Known Member
pilot
Can't speak to 30% dropping papers at once, but people are dropping papers left and right for sure. Patch wearers are saying "Screw this." Young guys have been avoiding EWS to get pushed out. There are even guy(s) who were supposed to be heading to MAWTS saying, "nah, I'd rather get out."
 

Pakol

Learner's permit
pilot
At the primary VT's right now; we don't get to hear much directly about strike fleet health from IPs, but the general impression is, "in crisis, good luck to you if you manage to grab the brass ring".
 

Fallonflyr

Well-Known Member
pilot
When I showed up to my first gun squadron the average monthly fight time was about 7 hours the previous FY. I flew close to 400 my first year. Budgets change.
 

Erin M.

Well-Known Member
pilot
When I showed up to my first gun squadron the average monthly fight time was about 7 hours the previous FY. I flew close to 400 my first year. Budgets change.
I'm at 4.3 years in the fleet on my first tour. I have just over 500 Hornet hours. I managed to get section lead at the bare minimum hours and division lead at the bare minimum as well. I watched many leave 3+ year tours without section lead. I watched virtually all of my peers leave without division lead. A small handful were branded the race horses and they would get their schools patch, but at the expense of everyone else. Squadrons are routing 100 hour waivers for half of their personnel. We're well past a budget issue.
 

Erin M.

Well-Known Member
pilot
I'm at 4.3 years in the fleet on my first tour. I have just over 500 Hornet hours. I managed to get section lead at the bare minimum hours and division lead at the bare minimum as well. I watched many leave 3+ year tours without section lead. I watched virtually all of my peers leave without division lead. A small handful were branded the race horses and they would get their schools patch, but at the expense of everyone else. Squadrons are routing 100 hour waivers for half of their personnel. We're well past a budget issue.
I won't post a hotboard or anything like that here because its all FOUO; but if you're curious and have access to MSHARP, I recommend you take a look at the VMFA hotboards (F-35 included). You're going to see A LOT of red boxes.
 

Choppering

Member
pilot
None
I’m not sure it’s a function or too many aircraft, as the title suggests, but instead not enough funding during some crucial high tempo years.

however, I expect there to be changes in the coming years
 
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