Posted on 04/03/2012 12:42:13 AM PDT by U-238
In late 1969, a conspiracy was hatched in secret all-night meetings in Washington, D.C.-area hotel rooms that would have a profound impact on military aviation and Fort Worth. A handful of people were at the meetings: two rebel Air Force colonels, a Pentagon analyst and a General Dynamics engineer. Their goal was to create a fighter jet -- a relatively simple, inexpensive plane that could be sold by the hundreds. Fortunately, the conspirators succeeded, probably beyond any of their wildest dreams. On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin will celebrate delivery of the 4,500th F-16, the direct result of those late-night meetings. It's a huge milestone for Lockheed and Fort Worth. The F-16 is arguably the finest combat airplane of the jet age. It's the principal frontline warplane of the U.S. Air Force and of the armed forces of 25 other nations. "It's the best air-to-air fighter. Then it proved to be the most adaptable" plane for ground attack missions as well, said Pierre Sprey, a former civilian weapons analyst in the Pentagon and frequent Defense Department critic who was one of the "fighter mafia" insurgents who went up against the military establishment to launch the F-16. As important as its capabilities, the F-16 remains a relatively low-cost aircraft. Plane No. 4,500 is bound for Morocco. Half of the F-16s ever built have been sold to foreign nations. About 1,600 jobs at Lockheed remain tied to the program. Beyond the quality of the airplane, perhaps the signature accomplishment of the F-16 program was the process the Pentagon used to buy it. Unlike almost every other modern military aircraft program before or since, including the F-35 joint strike fighter, the F-16 was designed and built quickly, met performance specifications, and was free of technical delays and cost overruns.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Heh...seems like the Pentagon ought to just ditch the F-35 and build more F-16s.
I read Colonel John Boyd’s biography (”Boyd” by Robert Coram) a few years back. He was a fascinating guy—a true maverick whose ideas had lasting impact on both the Air Force and Marines. Unfortunately, his single minded devotion to his work took a heavy toll on his family.
I have an IAF F-16 as my background. Don’t know anything about the functions of the plane, but it sure is purty.
Where is our next John Boyd?
Good question. I don’t think anyone in this day and age could piss people off like Boyd (& his associates) and expect to succeed.
Another thing that some may not notice is the SPEED with which planes were built back then. The F-16 was literally developed within 4 years. Same thing with the C-5A.
Not decades like it seems to take now. And that is with “labor saving” devices like computers and PowerPoint [/s].
Watch Thunder-Chicken Lawn Dart crashing at Mountain Home AFB
Nahhh. Crash vids are so anti-climactic...It’s much more entertaining to see ‘em come down to a three-point landing.
“Watch Thunder-Chicken Lawn Dart crashing at Mountain Home AFB”
Nahhh. Crash vids are so anti-climactic...It’s much more entertaining to see ‘em come down to a three-point landing.
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