A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B52 foreverr?

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john001
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A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B52 foreverr?

Post by john001 »

From Av Week:

The new U.S. defense budget to be published Feb. 9 will include initial development of an “arsenal plane” that would operate in conjunction with Lockheed Martin F-22s and F-35s and “act as a very large magazine,” according to Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
Based on “one of our oldest platforms,” the concept has been developed by the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), which Carter stood up in 2012 to accomplish “rapid innovation by building on what we have.”

Carter was speaking in Washington at an event where he previewed the fiscal 2017 budget, confirming that the $582.7 billion topline will conform to last fall’s bipartisan budget agreement but also saying that the new plan will be a “major inflection point” in terms of long-term re-equipment of the force.

Carter did not identify the “arsenal plane” platform. According to a source familiar with the studies, the SCO is looking at using either the B-52 or B-1B in that role. “It’s still conceptual and no program has been established. It’s indicative of the kinds of things they are thinking about that could give them an advantage in precision strike. It could end up being both bombers.”

The Pentagon will retain “more fourth-generation fighter/attack aircraft” under the new budget, Carter said. The plan includes a total surrender to those in Congress and the military who criticized the Air Force’s earlier plans, announced two years ago, to retire the entire force of A-10 Warthog close-air-support aircraft. A-10 retirement has been kicked out to 2022, and Carter referred to the aircraft’s “devastating” effect against Islamic State forces. Funding for that campaign will also include $1.8 billion for more than 45,000 replacement precision-guided bombs and laser-guided rockets.

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iainpeden
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Re: A10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by iainpeden »

Arsenal plane - somebody in Congress has read Dale Brown's "Flight of the Old Dog" and the various super B-52s that abound.

Either that or they're going to retrain Arsene Wenger as a pilot and make it VTOL to fit inside the Emirates.
(Mark Twain: There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics)

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Wes_Howes
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Re: A10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by Wes_Howes »

B-1R anyone?

FarnboroJohn
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Re: A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by FarnboroJohn »

It will be a sad day when the world's only eight-engine bomber becomes just another boring four-engine high-bypass eco-friendly smokeless turbo-fan, but I guess the day is coming sooner or later. Get those coal-burning pictures while you can!

John

chipmunk22
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Re: A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by chipmunk22 »

Totally agree FarnboroJohn.

I remember seeing a C5M take off at Mildenhall,soundedjust like a 747,gone was that distinctive whine. :sad:
Also remember the old KC-135`s,when the end of the runway dissapeared in a cloud of black smoke.

Give me noise and smoke any day - I call it `character` :rock:

chipmunk22

SPLAT
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Re: A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by SPLAT »

the A10's will be replaced squadron by squadron by F35's ! It does not mention at what speed.Do the airforce lose all bar one squadron to keep the senate happy?
long live the Hog , bbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttt

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bigfatron
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Re: A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by bigfatron »

FarnboroJohn wrote:It will be a sad day when the world's only eight-engine bomber becomes just another boring four-engine high-bypass eco-friendly smokeless turbo-fan, but I guess the day is coming sooner or later. Get those coal-burning pictures while you can!

John


I know its been looked into in the past but i've always been slightly surprised they never got round to updating the engines on the B-52.

XR219
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Re: A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by XR219 »

As I understand it (and it makes sense!), the major problem with replacing the eight with four high bypass ratio engines was the lowering of the thrust line, which in turn required significant (and perhaps impossible) redesign of the wing to resist the torsion. If they were to be re-engined, perhaps that gives hope for something of intermediate smokiness, JT8D for example!
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T_J
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Re: A-10 to go on till 2022 and the B-52 foreverr?

Post by T_J »

Interestingly a pair of OV-10 Broncos have been involved in Syria/Iraq operations with US forces.

The twin-engine Broncos—each flown by a pair of naval aviators—completed 134 sorties, including 120 combat missions, over a span of 82 days beginning in May 2015 or shortly thereafter, according to U.S. Central Command, which oversees America’s wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Central Command would not say exactly where the OV-10s were based or where they launched their attacks, but did specify that the diminutive attack planes with their distinctive twin tail booms flew in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led international campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... -isis.html

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