[Pukin Dog]

Too many wrongs to note, so just WRONG. Name a single aircraft in the inventory that can TODAY drop a couple JDAM on a North Korean Nuke plant and get out?

[Southack]

"Too many wrongs to note, so just WRONG. Name a single aircraft in the inventory that can TODAY drop a couple JDAM on a North Korean Nuke plant and get out?"

"B-1B Drops first GPS-guided JDAM
A B-1B Lancer flying out of Edwards AFB, Calif., on Feb. 11 dropped a JDAM at China Lake test range in the first demonstration of the bomber's capability to deploy satellite-guided JDAMs."

[Southack]

In January 2004, an F-117 successfully released a JDAM (JDAM) 2,000lb bomb for the first time. The integration of JDAM and other precision-guided weapons on the F-117 is coupled with the Block II software upgrade and is planned to achieve Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2005.

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/f117/

[Rokke]

Having sat in the depths of the TLAM planning cell during the opening days of OIF, I'd say we're screwing up if we use any manned aircraft to drop a JDAM on a Korean nuke plant. I watched third generation cruise missiles work magic. And those were just the old inventory we wanted to clear out to make room for the really good stuff. Call me a sellout, but we don't need the F-22 to take out fixed targets. We've got better capability already on the shelf.

[Southack]

GBU-31 JDAM

Mission	Close air support, air interdiction, counterair, airborne strike, suppression of enemy air defense
Targets	Mobile hard, mobile soft, fixed hard, fixed soft, maritime surface
Designation	GBU-31(V)1/B	GBU-31(V)2/B	GBU-31(V)3/B	GBU-31(V)4/B
Guidance Set	KMU-556/B	KMU-556/B	KMU-557/B	KMU-558/B
Service	USAF	Navy	USAF	Navy
Status	Operational
First capability	1997
Guidance	GPS/INS
Length	152.72 in	152.72 in	148.60 in	148.60 in
Diameter	-
Finspan	25 in (10 cm)
Weight	2,065 lb (936 kg)	2,085 lb (945 kg)	2,137 lb (969 kg)	2,161 lb (980 kg)
Warhead	Mk-84	Mk-84	BLU-109	BLU-109
Range	up to 15 miles (24 km)
CEP	13 m
Unit cost	$21,000 per tailkit (FY 01 dollars)
Platforms	B-52 B-1B B-2 F-15 F-16 F-117 F-14 F-18

[CholeraJoe]

Name a single aircraft in the inventory that can TODAY drop a couple JDAM on a North Korean Nuke plant and get out?

In the end there can be only one. F-22.

Critical parts for the F-22 are made right here in Helena, MT by Summit Aero. Engine bay doors and BDFX's roll off the line daily.

There are 65 steely-eyed killers, out there by the airport, working 24-7.

[Charlotte Corday]

Hey Dog,

I'm just a lil ole gal whose only experience with military aviation is watching the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels at air shows, but..... $1 BILLION plus for a single plane?

And that's the F-22, the F-35 certainly has to be more.

Will we shortly get to the point where we only have a handful of planes in the Air Force due to the high unit cost, they'll be GREAT planes, but if only a few of them get taken out we're toast??

[Poohbah]

Name a single aircraft in the inventory that can TODAY drop a couple JDAM on a North Korean Nuke plant and get out?

B-2A.