F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

[Haletown]

HB . . .  It ain't called the Canadian Broadcorping Castration for no reason.

Pretty sad how the show has devolved into such a parody of investigative journalism.    They should change the show's name to "The Farcical Estate . . .  Agenda Driven Journalism You Can't Trust"

 

[The Bread Guy]

HB_Pencil - now you know why there's a bit of skepticism on the part of some folks here re:  media.

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

HB_Pencil - now you know why there's a bit[b/] of skepticism on the part of some folks here re:  media.

A bit you say?  Speaking for myself there is more than a bit.  The idea of the media being an honest broker that just states the facts and lets the reader/listener/viewer decide for themselves is a farce.  They're a business and each source of media has their own bias and viewpoint that they like to (at times subtlety) push across.  I am very skeptical whenever I read anything simply because I know that quite often there is an agenda that the media source is probably trying to get across.

Unfortunately the recent episode of the fifth estate just proved it once again to me.

 

[HB_Pencil]

I can understand that for other issues, they might be able to cobble together a representative set of views to give a broader perspective. And that's fine. I'm not nearly as harsh on the utility of the CBC and its reporting on other issues. However the treatment they paid on this was disastrous.

Just how badly served are we?

Some of you might be interested that the Australian National Audit Office just published their review of the F-35 program. It is probably the most detailed overview of the F-35 program you can read anywhere. The Executive summary alone is superior to anything out there in Canada:

http://www.anao.gov.au/~/media/Files/Audit%20Reports/2012%202013/Audit%20Report%206/201213%20Audit%20Report%20No%206%20OCRed.pdf

Basically it acknowledges the problems with the program, but discusses them in a factual manner. To me what's interesting is how mature the understanding of what a development process entails compared to how every critic in Canada seems to focus on the lack of competition without understanding the needs of the procurement system.

 

[The Bread Guy]

A bit you say? 

OK, maybe I was just being polite  ;D

 

[estoguy]

HB . . .  It ain't called the Canadian Broadcorping Castration for no reason.

Pretty sad how the show has devolved into such a parody of investigative journalism.    They should change the show's name to "The Farcical Estate . . .  Agenda Driven Journalism You Can't Trust"

My dad worked for the CBC as a camera operator... they used to call it "The Fifth Mistake".

 

[Infanteer]

Sprey is a John Boyd guy and I frequently see his stuff tied in with the Maneuver Warfare crap churned out by William Lind.

 

[Kirkhill]

HB - Your reaction is typical to that of many folks who have had an opportunity to "fact check" CBC stories when the stories deal with their own special areas of expertise.

CBC, CTV, BBC, Global, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN.... all much of a sameness.  It is why I now restrict my viewing to NCIS and Criminal Minds.  Their fiction is much more believable.

And just an aside:

A 4000 lb bomb load has been a useful load since WW2 when you couldn't hit Hamburg from 20,000 feet.  4000 lb was the bomb load carried
in a B17 Flying Fortress (with a crew of 10 defending it) and the DeHavilland Mosquito (made of wood and flown by a motivated crew of 2).

 

[Gorgo]

and the DeHavilland Mosquito (made of wood and flown by a motivated crew of 2).

A very motivated crew of two, you mean! 

Then again, the Mosquito was one of the fastest planes around, so it really didn't need defensive armament.  And once it dropped the bombs, it got out of Dodge real quick, so you had to have a lot of luck on your side to catch the buggers.

 

[Good2Golf]

My grandfather was a radar operator on RCAF Mossies and even with light armament (the heavier stuff being removed to fit the radar) they were still very much respected by the Luftwaffe -- essentially two spitfires tied together.  Even 2 x 1000lb was a pretty useful load...more so now with JDAM.

Regards
G2G

 

[OldSolduer]

My grandfather was a radar operator on RCAF Mossies and even with light armament (the heavier stuff being removed to fit the radar) they were still very much respected by the Luftwaffe -- essentially two spitfires tied together.  Even 2 x 1000lb was a pretty useful load...more so now with JDAM.

Regards
G2G

My favorite WWII aircraft....the Mosquito - in essence a "stealth" fighter/bomber. Amazing!!

 

[Kirkhill]

I wonder if Viking got the Mossie plans when the got the other DeHavilland plans....

Plus - PWC Turbos could develop more power.

Minus - Merlins growling

 

[Haletown]

good read on what is really happening wrt the F-35

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2012/October%202012/1012slow.aspx

You have to love the Mossie . . .  only one left.  Great story.

http://tinyurl.com/8snq4xc

Twin Merlins . .  . sound up MAX

 

[OldSolduer]

You have to love the Mossie . . .  only one left.  Great story.

Twin Merlins . .  . sound up MAX

I would love to have been the fly on the wall for that conversation:

Aircraft Builder Man - "Well lads, it seems we're running out of metal to build aircraft and they have this magnificent design, but nothing to build it with....oh yes Johnson? Have you been at the bottle again?"

(drunk as per normal) "Whats that to you.....? Anyways We have a crapload of plywood back here....what we gonna do with that? I'd love to build something with it....some of its pretty warped......here have a look"

Aircraft Builder Man "JOHNSON- your a genius!!"

Johnson - "Jeez these damn mosquitoes keep biting me....."

Aircraft Builder Man "thats what we'll call it....The Mosquito!!! "

Starring John Cleese as Aircraft Builder Man

Johnson played by Gordon Pinsent. Johnson is an RCAF corporal on loan to the RAF.....

 

[Haletown]

Part 1 of 4  . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL_yUTXKPUk

Sound UP! 

Almost worth the 17 hour flight to Kiwi Land to see & hear it go fly-by.

 

[Haletown]

One of the benefits of acquiring an aircraft with a very large production run.  Money spent on new technologies goes to the big projects first.

"AFRL calculates adaptive technology will improve engine fuel efficiency by 25% over the F135 powering the F-35, increasing aircraft combat radius by 25-30% and persistence by 30-40%. "

That is an impressive range & loiter increase and the 2020 timing might be perfect for the RCAF acquisition schedule.  The extra power won't hurt either.


http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_09_24_2012_p31-497914.xml&p=2

CBC must have missed this piece of news when they were researching their fair and balanced TV expose. .

 

[OldSolduer]

Part 1 of 4  . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL_yUTXKPUk

Sound UP! 

Almost worth the 17 hour flight to Kiwi Land to see & hear it go fly-by.

Wow brought shivers! Amazing!

 

[Haletown]

Saturday afternoon F-35 porn.

B's & C's but still lovely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9ISpriu6HEA

 

[fraserdw]

I was in the military during the F18 procurement.  One the things that I find very funny is the 1 or 2 engine debate.  The critics are accusing the government of putting lives on the line by not having 2 engines.  Interestingly, the F18 critics accused the government of being wasteful back then as the critics said 2 engines was twice the maintenance and twice the fuel and Canada could not afford that!  Some of the critics of then and now are of the same political slant.

 

[Gorgo]

*rolls eyes* There will always been the complainers, my friend.  Why are you so surprised?