Stealth, Sensor Fusion, Situational Understanding, Precision

Stealth, Sensor Fusion, Situational Understanding and Precision Attack:
Is This the Right Answer to the Balance of Force? by Wing Commander Willy Hackett & Dr Rebecca Grant

http://www.rusi.org/downloads/assets/Ha ... er2010.pdf (400Kbs)
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Blog below refers to the PDF above & now attached below this post:

One Argument In Defense of JSF Posted by Robert Wall at 6/29/2010

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

"While it is never a good time for major weapons programs to suffer big cost increases, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's timing could probably not be much worse as likely buyers face increasing budget pressures.

Defense spending reviews are the order of the day, not just in the U.S., where there is a new commitment to find billions of dollars in savings, but also in Europe. In the U.K., in particular, a serious strategic and spending review is now underway, and the same is true in other countries.

For the coterie of JSF critics, the cost increases merely reinforce their desire not to buy the Lockheed Martin fighter. The voices critical of the jet of late have dominated the stage.

Now, an article by Wing Cdr. Willy Hackett and Rebecca Grant for the Royal United Services Institute mounts a defense of the F-35.

The argument looks at a variety of issues: the aircraft's sensor integration, stealth capabilities in the face of improving air defenses, and perceived utility even in low-intensity conflict. The article does not, however, really wrestle with the cost consideration, nor does it address many of the performance criticisms many raise against the F-35. Still, it does provide another voice in the debate over what should happen with JSF. "

Salute!

Thanks, spaz, a super article for all the wannabes and future lightning pilots here to read.

There's a time to go with your basic baseball bat, knife and spear.

There's a time to go with your most cosmic, technologically-advanced, expensive weapon.

It all comes down to balancing your resources versus the threat. Back after Yom Kippur, we had an IAF debrief and the dude said the best way to take out a SA-6 was to taxi your tank up close and blow the thing away with your main gun! LOL. We all learned lessons from that brief, intense war.

The $$$$$ are scarce, so we have to balance glitter versus capability.

The F-35 may be over-equipped for the 'stan, but if the major powers go for it, then I would personally take the F-35 versus the Viper for most missions.

There's a time and situation and mission to send in a small unit with a .50 cal sniper rifle. There's a time to send in the best ya got and do serious harm to the bad guys. That's what we pay the bosses for, to make that call.

Sorry to get so philosophical, but I flew one plane on my first tour that was bare bones and did very well, then flew a cosmic electronic jet second tour. Neither one could excell at some aspects of the close air support or interdiction or SAR mission that the other could. Each had its niche. For example, at the time, USAF could buy a squadron of A-37's for the price of one 'vark. The Dragonfly could not survive a New York second up north and the 'vark wouldn't hit a Vee company 50 meters in front of the friendlies. See what I mean?

Gums sends ...

Gums, you'll enjoy this 6 min F-35C lecture by a USN Commander (humourous OK?)

http://www.errolchin.com/vs/Radio-Contr ... ghter.html

Air Force Pansies? Rumor has it that Navy pukes are scared to death of 10,000 feet of open concrete...

The briefer got his required laugh eh. Navy bubbas have no problem with the short steel runway turning into the wind and accelerating, all the while bobbing up and down on the bounding main. Rock 'n Roll.

An OLD 2007 screed on JSF/F-35A for the RAAF written by a chap in the NACC program:

http://rumourcontrol.com.au/analysis/JS ... alysis.pdf (192Kb)

The JSF ‘Air System’: Unprecedented Capability Analysis By GPCAPT Brian Walsh RAAF

"The Director of Operational Requirements for the New Air Combat Capability (NACC) project is a former F-111 right-seater. He provides this insight into the process that has shaped the NACC project and Defence’s ongoing commitment to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter as the right aircraft to meet Australia’s needs.... Group Captain Brian Walsh is the Director Operational Requirements, New Air Combat Capability Integrated Project Team.

...While our overall analysis shows that the F-35 is the most cost-effective aircraft for Australia, I want the best operational capability, the most deployable airframe, the jet that you can turn around and fly again quickly, something with the range we need to handle the vast distances that are our geographic reality, something that can bring the biggest combat load to the target—from an operational capability perspective, I want the best combat effect. Numbers of airframes are also important given the large area we need to cover and the range of tasks we need to conduct concurrently.

Our detailed and ongoing analysis shows that the JSF is the best option for Australia and, importantly, it can do the job in a way we can afford now and throughout its life. For me, the sad fact is that it is the next generation of aviators that will get to operate this 5th generation capability when the thrill of flying F-111 will be but a fading memory."