USAF goes STOVL
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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USAF goes STOVL
Looks like the UK/Marine Corps F-35s are safe.
JDW: - US Air Force to buy STOVL variant of fighter
The US Air Force (USAF) will buy the short take-off variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and upgrade a portion of its 30-year-old A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet in order to bolster the service's ability to provide support for ground forces, according to senior USAF leaders. Secretary of the Air Force James Roche made the announcement at the Air Force Association's 20th Annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, on 12 February.
Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen John Jumper said they have not determined how many F-35 short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) aircraft the service will procure. They will tackle this issue, along with the number of A-10s to upgrade, as the service prepares its spending plan for Fiscal Year 2006 later this year........
Overall, the air force expects to buy about 1,760 F-35 aircraft to replace the F-16 fighter and A-10. Until now, it had only committed to acquiring the F-35 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant. However, operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have demonstrated the need for next-generation aircraft, like the F-35 STOVL variant, that can operate from austere landing strips at forward bases, said Gen Jumper.......
Roche said modifying some A-10 aircraft would provide a transitional capability until the F-35 enters service....... The air force currently operates about 270 A-10s and about 95 OA-10s that it uses as forward air controllers.
JDW: - US Air Force to buy STOVL variant of fighter
The US Air Force (USAF) will buy the short take-off variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and upgrade a portion of its 30-year-old A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet in order to bolster the service's ability to provide support for ground forces, according to senior USAF leaders. Secretary of the Air Force James Roche made the announcement at the Air Force Association's 20th Annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, on 12 February.
Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen John Jumper said they have not determined how many F-35 short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) aircraft the service will procure. They will tackle this issue, along with the number of A-10s to upgrade, as the service prepares its spending plan for Fiscal Year 2006 later this year........
Overall, the air force expects to buy about 1,760 F-35 aircraft to replace the F-16 fighter and A-10. Until now, it had only committed to acquiring the F-35 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant. However, operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have demonstrated the need for next-generation aircraft, like the F-35 STOVL variant, that can operate from austere landing strips at forward bases, said Gen Jumper.......
Roche said modifying some A-10 aircraft would provide a transitional capability until the F-35 enters service....... The air force currently operates about 270 A-10s and about 95 OA-10s that it uses as forward air controllers.
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IMHO they would be better of digging out the blueprints of the A10 opening a production line on a modernised model with new engines and updated avionics/optical systems and building an aircraft that has a chance of surviving on the battlefield.
Capt Campbell's experience over Iraq proves that.
Capt Campbell's experience over Iraq proves that.
Do a Hover - it avoids G
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If you ask anybody who has been in fire-fight trouble on the ground he will say he needs help in a very short time or it will be all be over. He therefore desires something that can VTO and be doing 600 kts in five minutes sitting on its pad hot to trot 10 miles behind him. Not an aeroplane on a runway a hundred miles or more away. Don’t take it from me, as this is just the USMC idea of how it must be done. The Marines are not stupid and nor are the USAF. Previously the USAF had other priorities, so left VSTOL to the Marines. Times change and so do priorities. Close air support may well be the only fighting role left with men in the cockpits in another 20 years. Think about it.
1,760 F35's !! !! !! 
That kind of says it all doesn't it?
My god, they're miles ahead of the rest of the world right now. Still they seem to have their feet flat to the floor. One can only wonder how far ahead they will be in 20 years time...
Just what the heck could you use that many F35's for?
Surely the only answer is a major regional conflict in South East Asia? Well good on 'em for putting their money where their mouths may have to be. 1,760... Wow.
Cheers
WWW
That kind of says it all doesn't it?
My god, they're miles ahead of the rest of the world right now. Still they seem to have their feet flat to the floor. One can only wonder how far ahead they will be in 20 years time...
Just what the heck could you use that many F35's for?
Surely the only answer is a major regional conflict in South East Asia? Well good on 'em for putting their money where their mouths may have to be. 1,760... Wow.
Cheers
WWW
