First fa-22 fighters delivered to langley

[Corey]

Originally Posted by Dave

taiwan decided to build its own fighter when their tigershark order went south. mostly serves with the republic of china airforce.

Interesting. The nose looks kinda Sukoy-ish. What's the performance equivalent? F-16? F-18? F-4?

[Adeptus_Minor]

Almost looks like it splits the different between an F18 and a Sukhoi

[pauldun170]

Originally Posted by Dave

taiwan decided to build its own fighter when their tigershark order went south. mostly serves with the republic of china airforce.

That thing is tiny....BUT it works for Taiwan. Unit Costs aren't as horrendous as they could have been.

[Phenix_Rider]

Originally Posted by pauldun170

The F-15E's should still be in decent enough shape despite all the hours being put on the airframes. The C's...I wonder if the restrictions are still up on em.

C130 FTW!!! and the duct tape....and the bugee cord....I think the markets where the build it under license have better C130's (as in airworthy) than we do. Ours are stuffed with cooler toys though from time to time.

There are new C130 models coming out all the time. The J came out a couple years back with more efficient engines, newer electronics, more cargo capacity, etc. And some of the older ones have ridiculously cool stuff in the back. My dad worked on EC130s way back. A favorite story deals with accidentally jamming some TV stations No bungee cords or duct tape involved. Getting the right parts at the right time they had trouble with, mostly because some moron felt he had to protect his turf instead of doing his job.

Defense contracts should absolutely stay in the US. Does anyone think North Korea or Vietnam or China should be making parts for our equipment? The political infighting about who's district gets the contract is bullshit though. It costs more money than actually producing, utilizing, and maintaining. Look at NASA- you got electronics being built in one part of the country, airframes in another, engines somewhere else, assembly somewhere else, and launch/recovery in three other places. All because some bureaucrat had to pork his area.

[Papa_Complex]

That Taiwanese fighter reminds me of a cross between a Dassault Rafale and a F-16.

[pauldun170]

Originally Posted by Phenix_Rider

There are new C130 models coming out all the time. The J came out a couple years back with more efficient engines, newer electronics, more cargo capacity, etc. And some of the older ones have ridiculously cool stuff in the back. My dad worked on EC130s way back. A favorite story deals with accidentally jamming some TV stations No bungee cords or duct tape involved. Getting the right parts at the right time they had trouble with, mostly because some moron felt he had to protect his turf instead of doing his job.

Defense contracts should absolutely stay in the US. Does anyone think North Korea or Vietnam or China should be making parts for our equipment? The political infighting about who's district gets the contract is bullshit though. It costs more money than actually producing, utilizing, and maintaining. Look at NASA- you got electronics being built in one part of the country, airframes in another, engines somewhere else, assembly somewhere else, and launch/recovery in three other places. All because some bureaucrat had to pork his area.

How many of the new C130's are going to the US military and not to foreign buyers?

As for joint development or competitive contracts (Why develop and buy a US made helicopter or light vehicle if foreign companies offer an existing or superior product) any of our Nato partners or other "pact" countries should be considered.
After that...licenced production of components by American company for a foreign design is a solution to the "jobs and availabilty" problem.

[smileyman]

Industrius little Tiawanese! Looks like they were smart enough not to try and reinvent the wheel and went with proven concepts from alot of different established fighters. Cuts out a huge chunk of the R&D budget. Still not something I want to be riding in when a Raptor comes calling!

[pauldun170]

Originally Posted by smileyman

Industrius little Tiawanese! Looks like they were smart enough not to try and reinvent the wheel and went with proven concepts from alot of different established fighters. Cuts out a huge chunk of the R&D budget. Still not something I want to be riding in when a Raptor comes calling!

Cuteness factor = CHECK
Engine performance = huh? wad dat?
Radar = Let's just say...we have a very close relationship with ground control and awacs. Not the worst but...it's appropriate for the class.
Flight performance = as long as it doesn't involve climbing to altitude it rocks!!
Armament = ok mix for what it's intended to do.


I think the goal, at least in the air superiority arena is to avoid China' s AAM by confusing them with it's size and cuteness (missile get's close to the ching kuo and goes "awe!! how cute.....damn where it go?)

Then...when China's comparatively massive Su-27,33 etc etc roll up to pull a Han Solo maneuver ...
the ching kuo will expertly tuck itself between the nacelles of the Chinese fighter, the pilot will use suction cups and make his way towards the intake and then throw old Timex watches in to the engines.

[smileyman]

[Dave]

Originally Posted by pauldun170

Cuteness factor = CHECK
Engine performance = huh? wad dat?
Radar = Let's just say...we have a very close relationship with ground control and awacs. Not the worst but...it's appropriate for the class.
Flight performance = as long as it doesn't involve climbing to altitude it rocks!!
Armament = ok mix for what it's intended to do.


I think the goal, at least in the air superiority arena is to avoid China' s AAM by confusing them with it's size and cuteness (missile get's close to the ching kuo and goes "awe!! how cute.....damn where it go?)

Then...when China's comparatively massive Su-27,33 etc etc roll up to pull a Han Solo maneuver ...
the ching kuo will expertly tuck itself between the nacelles of the Chinese fighter, the pilot will use suction cups and make his way towards the intake and then throw old Timex watches in to the engines.

lmao oddly enough so do japanese pilots of f1s. Better example for overseas contractors, mitsubishi f2