It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
jimmyx
reply to post by Zaphod58
pardon my civilian question, zap...but couldn't they use some of the outdated fighter jets that are already scheduled for replacement, instead of paying for a whole new system?
Zaphod58
reply to post by kathat
Uhm, did you actually READ it? They're not fighters. They're unarmed training aircraft to train pilots for various types of aircraft.
As for why the US needs more fighters, even though you'll hand wave this away, the current fighter fleet, with the exception of the F-22 is over 20 years old. Some are approaching 30, and all are nearing the end of their life cycle.
Zaphod58
reply to post by greencmp
Show me any project out there that didn't run into SOME kind of problems (some of them quite major). That's why it now takes almost 30 years to develop a new system. The F-35 is the most advanced aircraft in the world, and at this point it's required as only it can deal with some of the new threats being developed.
Zaphod58
reply to post by greencmp
There are, but in this case, we have a system trying to do things no other system has ever done. I agree something needs to be done about it, but a this point it's too necessary.
Zaphod58
reply to post by greencmp
Fly by wire is not as easy to take over as portrayed in the media. It's yet another case of them seeing something, and overhyping it. You MIGHT get into the GPS on most aircraft, but not much farther than that, and not for long.
As for the $1T, that WILL come down, as crews learn more about the aircraft, but that's for a 50 year life cycle, and over 1000 aircraft, so it's not quite as bad as it seems.
They do fly at night, they just don't have all the night vision systems developed yet.
Zaphod58
reply to post by kathat
Ok, you're right. If the US just says "We're peaceful" and gives up their military, the entire rest of the world suddenly will too, and we'll all just get along.
greencmp
Zaphod58
reply to post by kathat
Ok, you're right. If the US just says "We're peaceful" and gives up their military, the entire rest of the world suddenly will too, and we'll all just get along.
Yeah, exactly. How did unilateral disarmament work out for Ukraine?
edit on 27-3-2014 by greencmp because: (no reason given)
greencmp
Zaphod58
reply to post by kathat
Ok, you're right. If the US just says "We're peaceful" and gives up their military, the entire rest of the world suddenly will too, and we'll all just get along.
Yeah, exactly. How did unilateral disarmament work out for Ukraine?