http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-one-f-22-five-f-15s-2017-3
Posted on 07/18/2018 10:20:24 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
We really need a longer range A2A Missile to make this work. Our enemies are fielding weapons that reach well beyond the F-15's AMRAAM. A stealth aircraft can get close enough to employ the AMRAAM without being targeted itself, but the F-15 cannot. We were developing a new "Next Generation Missile" to fill this role, but Obama cancelled the program in 2013. Some people have proposed the European "Meteor" as a longer range alternative to the AMRAAM.
“The F-15 is considered a fourth-generation plane, one that does not have a stealth design, which helps it evade enemy missiles. For more than a decade, Air Force leaders have long pressed for buying only stealthy fighter and bomber aircraft. Buying new F-15s would reverse that.”
“In 2010, the firm pitched the Silent Eagle — an F-15 with special coating and canted vertical tails — that executives said could better evade enemy detection.”
If we can upgrade the F-15s stealthiness by using coatings and relatively minor design changes, while significantly upgrading its avionics and ability to carry air-to-air weapons, then I think we’ll have a big winner. Yes, of course upgrade the existing planes in the inventory - but also build new airframes that’ll last a lot longer. We’ve paid for all of the design work, and KNOW that the plane works phenomenally well and is reliable - meaning that the cost savings vs. either the F-35 or a re-opening of the F-22 line (which I’ve heard nothing about) will enable us to field far more aircraft in any crisis or war. Training will be easier, as the books have been written and the active-duty vets of the plane are still there to teach. Those numbers, plus the bolstered armament and some degree of stealth will make for a great combination.
This is similar in nature to having another 500 A-10s built, with better avionics and weapons (with the Warhog, no one cares about stealth).
I imagine the addition of a super cruise ability possible with new engines would really help the bird with the one thing absolutely necessary to have that too many fighters (created when there would be lots available to fly at any given moment) have lacked, namely enhanced loiter time.
“The F-35 was envisioned as a sort of frankenstein that would do everything. Attack targets on land and air, take off from runways, carriers, and vertically. Et cetera. Then throw in all the foreign requirements, oy vey.”
Better would be another production run of a few hundred A10 Thunderbolt Warthogs along with all the scary things it delivers.
Don’t think they need to make more.
100’s (1000’s??) are mothballed at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson.
We need to restore wing strength in numbers to cover the needs of the USAF in both the eastern and Pacific theaters as well as CONUS.
Another factor is airframe age. Our F-15Cs are old and worn out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_RQ-180
There are classified drone programs that we just don’t know much about.
Throwing more funding at an obsolescent design takes funding away from cool new stuff.
I rather see the F22 Super Raptor.
Boeing should have come up with this plan 30 years ago.
Random aside: I think the way the military treats aircraft sometimes depends on their heritage.
The F-15 inherited the romantic swagger of a gentleman taking off in a Spad where the A-10 has genes from that first sadistic bastard who for giggles threw an artillery shell with fins on the back of it out of a spotting plane.
I love the A-10....
I would like to see the F22 Super Raptor with the same internal features of the F-35, but retain all the great features of the F-22 Raptor.
http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-one-f-22-five-f-15s-2017-3
“Quantity is a quality all it’s own””
I was thinking more of our Sherman tanks versus the German’s. We outnumbered them enough that 3 or more Sherman tanks could take on a tiger or Panzer by surrounding it and hitting it where it was weak.
US Navy has the right approach.Why try to hide when you can fry enemy radar enemy electronics systems with EA-18G Growlers.
During the Gulf Wars, the non-stealth attack planes wouldn’t go into Iraq until after US. Navy EA-6B Prowlers went in first to destroy radar and anti-aircraft missile sites.
The F/A-18 is overall the greatest fighter jet ever built. Tried and true, reliable, nimble, and battle-proven. Cheaper than the F-15, F-22, etc. The F-16 is good but limited in armament storage. Unlike the F-16, the F/A-18 is twin engine which is also a bonus for pilot survivability.
“Throwing more funding at an obsolescent design takes funding away from cool new stuff.”
I certainly don’t want to take $$$ away from drones, as those ARE the future - with little risk to our own people. The ability to mass produce them like cookies is very attractive, and plays to our strengths.
The A-10 is one of my favorites, 2nd to only the SR-71 in its cool factor. Of course, the Blackbird has never seen combat, so the Warthog is my practical favorite. Damn, they built the plane around the gun!
I also agree the SR-71 is a miracle of it's time (1957?) with a cool factor that is OFF THE CHARTS!!!. Perhaps the Aurora is too, given its existence isn't just a myth.
I am a strong advocate for the F/A-18 when it comes to fighter jets. If you average all available fighter airframe sizes, stores capabilities, "MOD-ability", bonuses and minuses, etc., I can't help but arrive at the F/A-18 as being the greatest choice possible for new production.
The F-15 Eagle is one bad arse aircraft but how many can you fit on an aircraft carrier compared to the F/A-18 Hornet?
Good news ... maybe someone in the Pentagon realized that it is better to have many, many less expensive aircraft (F15s, A-10s, etc) in the air rather than a few billion dollar flying pigs (F-35).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.