Surplus USMC AV-8B - Article Suggesting Taiwan May Acquire
As yet has there been any occasion when the vertical capabilities of the F-35B have shown a clear advantage over conventional aircraft?
SHAR 2 with 4 x AMRAAM and Link 16 was a pretty capable carrier borne aircraft. But GR9 without any radar and only eyeball missiles...??
SHAR 2 with 4 x AMRAAM and Link 16 was a pretty capable carrier borne aircraft. But GR9 without any radar and only eyeball missiles...??
It's still a subsonic launch platform with no real survivability against a peer state adversary. Yes, you could make it worth with huge cash investment, or you could continue investing in current capabilities.
Originally Posted by frodo_monkey;[url=tel:11311640
11311640[/url]]Couldn’t agree more - yes you could ‘bolt it on’ relatively easily, but proper integration takes a lot of time and a huge amount of cash; at the end you’d still only be left with a BVR-equipped Harrier. Better to spend the money on more F35s.
Nobody is disputing that. The article mentions upgrading the old USMC jets with AESA and modern weapons. It would be a huge expense for a modest increase in capability. This is for a China vs Taiwan scenario - 50 Harriers won't make a difference (and that's once you've thrown good money at buying, upgrading and training your Air Force to operate a capability that's brand new to them). It's a complete red herring IMO.
Nobody is disputing that. The article mentions upgrading the old USMC jets with AESA and modern weapons. It would be a huge expense for a modest increase in capability. This is for a China vs Taiwan scenario - 50 Harriers won't make a difference (and that's once you've thrown good money at buying, upgrading and training your Air Force to operate a capability that's brand new to them). It's a complete red herring IMO.
If China prosecutes the first few hours of a conflict in a way that resembles the way the west would, Taiwan won’t have the runways to operate from. That’s where the value of the Harriers comes into play.
It doesn't seem to matter that the AV8 may not be effective against PRC CAP, they will have their hands full dodging MANPADS and similar. What is valuable is the opportunity to go and do some CAS from FOBs that are essentially unprepared. The distribution of the air assets allows them to last long enough to be an impediment to the beach heads. There is possibly more value in buying gallons of DJI drones, or amping up drone production in Taiwan, Alibaba's orderbooks are probably going to be full or limited to rogue regions, and more MANPADS than PRC has air assets.
How many F-35's will the RAF/RN have with full complement?
Far more capable than the Harrier....but then don't sheer numbers matter when it comes to all out War?
Far more capable than the Harrier....but then don't sheer numbers matter when it comes to all out War?
Plus you can buy 12 harriers+ for 1 f35. and afford combat losses. as long as the pilot can punch out, and fight another day. There's more harriers to take their place. (the RAFs loss is there gain)
Administrator
where is that like button?
It doesn't seem to matter that the AV8 may not be effective against PRC CAP, they will have their hands full dodging MANPADS and similar. What is valuable is the opportunity to go and do some CAS from FOBs that are essentially unprepared. The distribution of the air assets allows them to last long enough to be an impediment to the beach heads. There is possibly more value in buying gallons of DJI drones, or amping up drone production in Taiwan, Alibaba's orderbooks are probably going to be full or limited to rogue regions, and more MANPADS than PRC has air assets.
It doesn't seem to matter that the AV8 may not be effective against PRC CAP, they will have their hands full dodging MANPADS and similar. What is valuable is the opportunity to go and do some CAS from FOBs that are essentially unprepared. The distribution of the air assets allows them to last long enough to be an impediment to the beach heads. There is possibly more value in buying gallons of DJI drones, or amping up drone production in Taiwan, Alibaba's orderbooks are probably going to be full or limited to rogue regions, and more MANPADS than PRC has air assets.
CAS shoot and scoot tactics would be basically the maverick and rockets in a real war, maverick 2 max 4 load out. we could offer brimstone integration and make it into a 600kt Apache.
just think..
Quantity does have a quality of its own.
just think..
Quantity does have a quality of its own.
not much quantity or quality within those gun pods!
where is that like button?
It doesn't seem to matter that the AV8 may not be effective against PRC CAP, they will have their hands full dodging MANPADS and similar. What is valuable is the opportunity to go and do some CAS from FOBs that are essentially unprepared. The distribution of the air assets allows them to last long enough to be an impediment to the beach heads. There is possibly more value in buying gallons of DJI drones, or amping up drone production in Taiwan, Alibaba's orderbooks are probably going to be full or limited to rogue regions, and more MANPADS than PRC has air assets.
It doesn't seem to matter that the AV8 may not be effective against PRC CAP, they will have their hands full dodging MANPADS and similar. What is valuable is the opportunity to go and do some CAS from FOBs that are essentially unprepared. The distribution of the air assets allows them to last long enough to be an impediment to the beach heads. There is possibly more value in buying gallons of DJI drones, or amping up drone production in Taiwan, Alibaba's orderbooks are probably going to be full or limited to rogue regions, and more MANPADS than PRC has air assets.
and the handful of western picked aircraft have kept them in the fight re CAS, su25- hinds.etc
sure NLAWs and Javs were a bigger part.
