Or so Elements of Power Blog surmises at the end of his post. Read it all here, but be warned...I guess he couldn't help it but he went nerd boy in a big way two lines in and didn't come up for air until the very end. I would love to hear Elements of Power, Sweetman, Goon and Christina all debating the F-35 (oh and I would add the cowboys from the Heritage Foundation but I forgot their names) with the Dave from the Dew Line playing referee. I bet we could find out motives real quick. When it happens you heard it here first.
Here's my dream scenario for a future air strike:
ReplyDeleteAt a distance, you have AWACS, JSTARS, RIVET listening and tracking everything to build the 'big picture'.
F-15E's hang out just out the SAM rang to use their radar to spotlight enemy fighters and fire volleys of AMRAAMS at them. At the same time, F-16 dart in to use JSOW and HARMs to knock out SAM batteries and open a door.
Pouring through that door are F-22 loaded with CUDA's that get their targeting cues from the F-15's and AWAC. They play snipers hitting the enemy fighters from behind. F-35's, loaded with SDBs, use their sensors to find & attack any of the air defense systems that are left. Then a flight of B-1's, loaded with 24+ JDAMS each level anything that moves.
quite honestly that sounds about right but one thing i'm gonna have to check on with Elements of Power is whether or not the F-22 is keeping pace with advancements that we're seeing across military aviation. in many ways it seems like a classic clear weather fighter. big engines, big watches and guns and missiles but not much going on when it comes to avionics/electronics dominance.
DeleteOr. . . F-22s and F-35 go poke out the eyes (radars) and EVERYBODY comes in.
Deleteuhh Solomon, the F-22 has one of the best radars of any fighter flying today. It can act as a "mini" AWACS to other F-22s. Too bad there are only 185 flying.
Deletedoes it? i've read some of the work thats been done on the AESA's being placed into the F-16's and F-15's not to mention the F-35's that have me wondering. remember its been 20 years since the F-22 first flew. that's a long time in the march of tech.
DeleteHey! I went half-'Geek' not total nerd on that one. I spared everyone a lot of boring background and math: Just showed them where they could do their own math.
ReplyDeleteThe F-22 is still pretty much in the learn-how-to-operate phase. Focus is on maintainability and supportability at the moment (aside from Oxygen System/Life Support Stuff). I'm sure there are studies in the works for system upgrades. I check here for latest contract stuff: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/f22-raptor-procurement-events-updated-02908/#contracts