F-22 order in jeapordy?

That's okay...

What we've been telling the folks at USAFA is this:

1,380 F-35's...breaks down into:

a. 380 F-35's of all variants
b. 1,000 MQ/F-35 UCAV's...brush up on your video games

That doesn't go over very well with them. :wink:

AHHH! Don't scare me like that! ;)
 
1,380 F-35's...breaks down into:

a. 380 F-35's of all variants
b. 1,000 MQ/F-35 UCAV's...brush up on your video games

That doesn't go over very well with them. :wink:

Could you explain this? I know it is probably a stupid question.. but I'm just an innocent little senior highschool who doesn't know the lingo.

There are 3 variants... so shouldn't there be more than 380 of each?
 
It's meant as a joke..

But the variants would be the USAF/USN/USMC versions...

And a "UCAV" is an "unmanned combat air vehicle." Think jet predator on steriods.

So what we've been telling folks is that about 1000 of the F-35's will end up "unmanned" aircraft.

Makes "wannabe pilots" turn pale to hear that...
 
Now Flieger. I know how fun it is to play "let's get the cadets all spun up!", but shame on you for picking on those young-uns that way! :shake:

Ok, kiddies, calm down. Uncle Bullet will make that mean, old, nasty Flieger man go away and tell you what I know (as the guy in the Pentagon working the F-35 issue).

Every settled? Comfy? Want to blow you nose? No? Want a cookie? Good, Uncle Bullet will now tell you a GOOD bed-time story...

The AF is buying over 1700 F-35s (yippee!), or at least planning to for now. (Settle down, settle down...) That may change when the budget fall out happens. Don't worry kids, I'll turn that page and go onto something nice. (Packermatt, eyes up here, pay attention, and stop pulling on katienavy's hair!) No, I repeat, no talk about making them UCAVs. (People, people, settle DOWN!) So, lots of you will have the chance to fly them one day.

And they all lived happily ever after.....

Tomorrow, the scary story of "Johnny the brave UPT student and the class that only got Predators!" "oooooooooohhhhhhh!":biggrin:
 
Katie started it!!!!


You're not gonna hold a flashlight up to your face, are you? :yikes:
 
Now Flieger. I know how fun it is to play "let's get the cadets all spun up!", but shame on you for picking on those young-uns that way! :shake:

Ok, kiddies, calm down. Uncle Bullet will make that mean, old, nasty Flieger man go away and tell you what I know (as the guy in the Pentagon working the F-35 issue).

Every settled? Comfy? Want to blow you nose? No? Want a cookie? Good, Uncle Bullet will now tell you a GOOD bed-time story...

The AF is buying over 1700 F-35s (yippee!), or at least planning to for now. (Settle down, settle down...) That may change when the budget fall out happens. Don't worry kids, I'll turn that page and go onto something nice. (Packermatt, eyes up here, pay attention, and stop pulling on katienavy's hair!) No, I repeat, no talk about making them UCAVs. (People, people, settle DOWN!) So, lots of you will have the chance to fly them one day.

And they all lived happily ever after.....

Tomorrow, the scary story of "Johnny the brave UPT student and the class that only got Predators!" "oooooooooohhhhhhh!":biggrin:

Bullet...please...

I thought the class drop for Vance 09-03B was still classified: TS/SCI/TK

And there you go and spoil the surprise about the "no cockpits for the entire UPT class, just Predators and Reapers..."

Now I'll have to find something else fun to do...like pull wings off flies or use my magnifying glass on the ant hill in the back yard...
:frown:
 
well just read this....i think if the pilots are willing to fly planes and put themselves in danger they shouldn't have to be stuck with UAVs or UCAVs. i would gladly trade flying in a jet and probably risking my life for my country then sitting in a nice comfy chair playing basically a glorified video game. those demon planes scare me....
 
This kind of like sitting on the porch, throwing the bone and watching the dog go nuts. Meanwhile as fido searches the yard your sitting there bone in hand.

Oh well it is fun:shake:
 
well just read this....i think if the pilots are willing to fly planes and put themselves in danger they shouldn't have to be stuck with UAVs or UCAVs. i would gladly trade flying in a jet and probably risking my life for my country then sitting in a nice comfy chair playing basically a glorified video game. those demon planes scare me....

BUT...let's play devil's advocate here a moment (and I'm an Eagle driver in my earlier life, and a KC-135IP in my current role...hey, 25+ years, several different jets)

If I put YOU in a jet above a HIGH THREAT area...I might lose you. While life is precious, if I could put 4 Reapers above that threat (remember, they can loiter about 20 hours, carry 2 Hellfire's and 4 JDAM 500lb weapons each)...if I lose one, I don't lose a pilot (almost irreplaceable) and $100M - $300M in an almost irreplaceable asset.

And the "guy on the ground" likes to have the cover above him...Reaper, Predator, or "fast iron" (from what my nephew, an army infantry type said) makes not too much difference initially; it's just nice to have someone there all the time. Can't do that in a fast mover; can do that with a UAV.

That being said...I'd rather strap an eagle on than sit at the console. And once the UAS career field "takes off" I think UPT grads won't have to worry that much about UAV assignments right out of training. It'll probably be a "career broadening" assignment later. Ask any fighter pilot...you get to your unit, get mission ready, start doing your upgrades...

And about 4 years later, AETC comes a calling!
 
I've been playing video games for too long...

I need to pull some G's!!!
 
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