BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

I just started vacation...  Then THIS happens.  http://www.defensenews.com/articles/f-35a-damaged-in-fire-at-air-force-base At least there will be plenty to discuss while I'm away!   Meanwhile, at the Joint Program Office...

Me, looking for some vacation. The time has come for me to take a brief break from my adult life and responsibilities. For the next couple of weeks I will be on vacation.  I will be "unplugging" from the internet and will be unable to post or edit comments.  So...  Have a field day guys. In the meantime, I will be stress testing my liver and catching some sun.

"PEW-PEW-PEW!" Sometimes, once in a blue moon or so, news coming out of The Pentagon actually makes sense. The folks at Defense News recently reported that the USAF is in the preliminary stages of evaluating a light attack aircraft to supplement its A-10 fleet.  These new aircraft would then partially replace the aging Warthog over low-threat environments.  Aircraft like the F-15E and F-35 would take over duties in higher-threat situations. The reasoning is simple.  Aircraft like the F-35 and F-15E are complete overkill when it comes to dealing with violent extremists that use pickup trucks armed with machine guns ("technicals").  While there is no debating the tactical need, one has to question the financial argument of using a multi-million dollar aircraft that costs $30k per flight hour dropping a bomb that costs more than its target . As much praise as the A-10 receives for its mastery in the CAS role, even it has been complete overkill for most of ...

[Cue sad trombone...] Well...  This is embarrassing. Mere weeks after declaring the F-35A's IOC (initial operating capability) the USAF has grounded fifteen of them (two belonging to the RNoAF). The grounding was ordered when depot maintenance discovered coolant lines with decomposing insulation. "[I]t was possible for this crumbling insulation to become lodged in the siphon lines connecting wing and fuselage fuel tanks...  T his could result in excessive negative pressures in the fuel tanks during flying operations or excessive positive pressures during air or ground refueling. In either case, the under- or over-pressure could cause structural damage to the fuel tanks."   -US Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek At least nothing caught on fire this time! Unlike the engine fire that grounded the entire JSF fleet two years ago, this issue seems to be more of a quality control issue rather than a design flaw.  The problem seems to be c...

We finally know what all the contenders to replace the venerable T-38 Talon will look like. After teasing us for months , Boeing finally unveiled its entry into the T-X competition with much pomp and fanfare.  This follows a less ceremonial unveiling of Northrop-Grumman's clean sheet design.  The two other contenders, proposed by Lockheed and Raytheon, are modifications to existing designs. The goal of the T-X program is to provide a "lead in" jet trainer for high performance aircraft found in the USAF.  This includes (but is not limited to) aircraft like the F-22, F-35, and B-21.  As military aircraft become more advanced, there has emerged a need for a trainer that mirrors these advances.  The venerable T-38 is no longer a suitable aircraft for this, being a 50-year-old design. The requirements for the T-X dictate an aerial refueling receptacle and give preference for high maneuverability .   The ability to make a sustained 6.5 g turn is ...

The Saab Gripen does not even seem possible in this day and age.  A modern jet fighter built by a small nation with less than a third of Canada's population.  Not only that, this small fighter has stolen sales away from the like of Dassault and Boeing. The Gripen (Swedish for "griffon") seems to be content with other fighters taking the high end of the market.  Instead, Saab is concentrating on marketing the JAS 39 to nations with more modest defense budgets that looking for a cost-effective, yet capable fighter.  (Sound familiar?) History During the Cold War, Sweden practiced neutrality.  Nevertheless, its close proximity to the then-Soviet Union made for an uncomfortable position.  If the Soviet Union was to invade with its full military might, there would be little a small nation like Sweden could do about it.  In order to make a foreign invasion as unattractive as possible, Swedish defence officials adopted a strategy of guerrilla wa...

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a bit of a dichotomy.  Depending on the source, the Typhoon is considered either a deadly  air-superiority fighter  or an  unreliable money pit .  As always, the answer is probably somewhere  in-between . BAe EAP (Experimental Aircraft Program) History The Eurofighter Typhoon is the collaborative effort of four European nations; Germany Italy, Spain, and the U.K.  This joint effort was formed as a way to (hopefully) breath life into Europe's aerospace industry.  At one point, France was also involved, but left due to differing requirements.   The design goal of what was to become the Typhoon was a challenging one:  Develop an air-superiority fighter that combined the combat effectiveness of the F-15 Eagle, but in a size closer to that of a F/A-18 Hornet.  The end result was an aircraft resembling that of  British Aerospace's EAP demonstrator . The Typhoon's development was a troubl...

When issues with Canada's stalled F-35 started to arise, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was seen by many as the only realistic alternative.  For whatever reason, the "Eurocanards" (i.e. Typhoon, Rafale, and Gripen) were dismissed.  It seemed inconceivable that the RCAF would procure anything other than an American fighter. Being a "Super" version of what Canada already has, the F/A-18E/F would seem to be a sensible choice.  Since it used the legacy Hornet as a starting point for its design, converting Canada's fighter fleet to the Super Hornet would likely be a snap.  Like the F-35, it will continue to see use with Canada's largest military ally.  This means there are no issues with interoperability. Out of all the multi-role fighters vying to replace the CF-18, the Super Hornet is certainly the lowest risk choice...  But is it the best? History The Super Hornet can trace its design lineage all the way back to the YF-17 Cobra...   Possibly...

Billed as an "omnirole" fighter, the Dassault Rafale was specifically developed to act as France's sole strike fighter platform.  As such, it had to perform any and all roles needed for a fighter.  Equally adept at air superiority, strike missions, and even carrier operations, the Rafale is truly a "Jacques-of-all-trades". At first glance, the Rafale may seem to an impeccable choice to replace the CF-18.  It is truly a capable and flexible platform used by a close NATO ally.  Dassault has also been  aggressively marketing the Rafale , offering technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and the option to manufacturer parts or even final assembly. Dassault Rafale C01 History In 1979, Dassault briefly partnered up with what was later to become the Eurofighter consortium.  By 1985, France had left the program due to "creative differences".  While the other nations were focused on a ground-based air-superiority interceptor platform, Fr...