Air Force Pilots to Start Flying F-35s This Year

[luckymacy]

strike eagle and wart hog ain't going away

My money is the A-10 and F-15E strike eagle (magnificant weapon system) will out live the F-16 and F-15C in the Active Duty fleet and will be around probably longer than some military planners think. The F-15E because it has so much capability and payload and the F-35 is never going to match it, even if you fly it dirty with stores on the wing. Too bad we only built a little more than a couple of hundred of these. With so many conflicts not requiring stealth it's my choice for whoop ass. Then the venerable A-10. It's relatively cheap to operate and who wants to risk losing an F-35 down low using guns like the A-10 does now in a threat environment that an A-10 can operate in effectively like Afghanistan?

 

[flieger83]

Yeah...

We used to make fun of the "Mud Hen" crews...I mean, really...FIGHTERS?

Nah...they're BOMBER crews!!!

BUT...when you tangled with them...it was "Eagle on Eagle" which is okay...but I swear...

A SECOND set of EYES...that can really cause you problems if you DON'T have them!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

 

[hornetguy]

My money is the A-10 and F-15E strike eagle (magnificant weapon system) will out live the F-16 and F-15C in the Active Duty fleet and will be around probably longer than some military planners think. The F-15E because it has so much capability and payload and the F-35 is never going to match it, even if you fly it dirty with stores on the wing. Too bad we only built a little more than a couple of hundred of these. With so many conflicts not requiring stealth it's my choice for whoop ass. Then the vulnerable A-10. It's relatively cheap to operate and who wants to risk losing an F-35 down low using guns like the A-10 does now in a threat environment that an A-10 can operate in effectively like Afghanistan?

Well, considering the F-15E was introduced a good 20 years after the F-15A-D models and a good 10 years after the F-16 was introduced, I certainly hope it outlives them!!

The A-10 wing modernization program along with interim retrofits until the F-35 takes hold, and since it was also introduced in 1976, it should also last longer! In addition, it doesn't take the same aircraft stresses of the others so its airframe isn't quite as worn. (I think I'm right there??).

Love them both!

Some stats in addition
Payload
F-15E: 23,000 lbs on hardpoints
F-35A: 18,000 lbs max, 15,000 lbs in external hard pylons, 3,000 interior.
A-10: 16,000 lbs
F-22: 22,000 lbs (20,000 ext, 2000 int)

For some fun:
B-52: 70,000 lbs
B-2: 50,000 lbs
B-1: 125,000 lbs

 

[Bullet]

Yeah...

We used to make fun of the "Mud Hen" crews...I mean, really...FIGHTERS?

Nah...they're BOMBER crews!!!

BUT...when you tangled with them...it was "Eagle on Eagle" which is okay...but I swear...

A SECOND set of EYES...that can really cause you problems if you DON'T have them!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

Those "puffy cheeks" really made for a real pig in the turning BFM fight, Steve. Especially against the Viper and Hornet. Going in the vertical against them? Bad idea. And they just had to be patient with the nose authority to guarantee a kill against us. Just seemed like they turned on a dime on us, sometimes. Having -229s helped, but only half the fleet has 'em.

Now, ACM. That's where those second set of eyes helped. Nothing I loved better than to tell the nose gunner to lag off 'cause the wingman is executing a lazy extension and doesn't realize we'll be able to pop an 9M on him unexpected. Yep, earned my Union pay every time that way!

 

[Chockstock]

The F-15A/B/C/D was an air-superiority fighter - it was meant to keep the air clear of enemy aircraft. It is an incredibly engineered aircraft, and as such, a very expensive one to make.

The F-16 was meant to be a lighter, simpler, and much cheaper fighter than the F-15 such that we could have a large fleet of fighters to counter the Soviet threat. It morphed into a more ground-based or multi-role aircraft and now does mostly ground attack roles (Wild Weasel, etc.).

The F-22 was designed to replace the F-15 as an air-superiority fighter. While it once had the F/A designation, it turned into a pure F place. While capably of ground attack, it's primary role is to patrol the air.

the F-35 is supposed to replace the F-16, A-10, Harrier, and F-18 (I think F-18 too lol) as a ground support/attack aircraft. While capable of Air to Air, it's primary role is to be a ground attack/Wild Weasel/etc. aircraft with some sweet on-board tech to accomplish that. Similar to the F-15 to F-16 change, it is meant to be a much cheaper and simpler plane we can mass-produce. the A-variant is less than half the cost of an F-22.

I hope I got this 'generally' correct. While the real fighter guys like Flieger, Bullet, et al can give much better explanations (and correct any of my misconceptions), the basic idea is that the F-22 and F-35 are fulfilling different roles.

The designations from A-Z are usually just improvements of the original model. The F-16A vs. the F-16 block 60...the block 60 is a much more sophisticated aircraft with more modern tech and radar than the A-model.

Bombers now have moved from the nuke role and as more general bombing platforms. The B-1 was originally designed only to carry nukes, but now is modified to carry all types of bombs. The ICBM is great for long range nukes, but you still need bombers for the other bombs! Lobbing an ICBM with a non-nuke tip is quite cost-ineffective!

The AF is currently in the process of designing the interim bomber program while the next generation is being designed as well.

Thanks!!!

 

[flieger83]

Those "puffy cheeks" really made for a real pig in the turning BFM fight, Steve. Especially against the Viper and Hornet. Going in the vertical against them? Bad idea. And they just had to be patient with the nose authority to guarantee a kill against us. Just seemed like they turned on a dime on us, sometimes. Having -229s helped, but only half the fleet has 'em.

Now, ACM. That's where those second set of eyes helped. Nothing I loved better than to tell the nose gunner to lag off 'cause the wingman is executing a lazy extension and doesn't realize we'll be able to pop an 9M on him unexpected. Yep, earned my Union pay every time that way!

LOL!

I learned VERY early on...

If taking on either a Viper or a Hornet...

Heater...or Radar...BURN 'EM...but do NOT DO NOT DO NOT engage in a turning fight...

It will NOT end well...

But...I was a tanker TOAD that converted...I was AMAZING...a complete warrior...so I took on a Viper...

Hmm....BAT TURN...NOT pretty...vertical pop, didn't help...

"....GUNS GUNS GUNS on the Eagle at my 12 O'Clock..."

"That's a KILL...KNOCK IT OFF..."

You know how expensive the bar is when you're a CAPTAIN, "Blue Four" and that happens to you and you're a "former Tanker TOAD?"

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83