Comments on: Prowling Over Al Anbar

By: Charles

Charles — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 03:35:40 +0000

So the Marine JSF has a jammer pod, eh? They dropped the gun for that?
I thought the F-4s didn’t have guns…and then they changed their minds and put them back on. I wonder how many pilots died over Vietnam for it (though more probably died from low fuel capacity).
If you can cut the jammer weight you could probably fit it on a UAV. A Pred is rated for…I believe 1100 pounds max. May need a bigger UAV, but yeah, the idea’s there.
If we still had Comanche it would have been a perfect platform for EW.

By: Byron Skinner

Byron Skinner — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:07:51 +0000

Good Afternoon David,
Firt off I hope your visit to Iraq is going well and am looking forward to lots of interesting post when you get back into the “World”.
I will just let my commet(s) regarding the E-6’s and any speculation of their missions stand as I made with out any explaination.
Have a good trip home.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
“Stewart’s Platoon”

By: David Axe

David Axe — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 07:47:51 +0000

Whoa there, Byron … Iran? I don’t think so. First, if you want to snoop on Iran, you don’t do it from Al Asad, which is next to Syria. Finally, the Prowler is a penetrating jammer, not really built for standoff missions, and I’m pretty sure we’re not sending Prowlers into Iranian airspace.

By: Trustbutverify

Trustbutverify — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 23:46:20 +0000

I’m quite certain helos have been pressed into service as EW aircraft in the past, but historically jamming platforms need to be able to keep up with a fast-moving package of strike aircraft; hence the usage of fighter and attack airframes.
That doesn’t mean the idea is without merit for low-intensity conflict when loiter time and staying over a convoy are important. I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t see this task farmed out to UAVs before we see a dedicated counter-IED helo, though.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if Byron was onto something.

By: Charles

Charles — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 23:27:46 +0000

Odd, I coulda sworn they were making a two-seater.
Perhaps we should fit out helicopters for this kind of thing instead? It’s rare for the kind of people that drop IEDs to stick around, so they should be comparatively safe from MANPADS.

By: Steve Swaja

Steve Swaja — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 21:46:48 +0000

So, nobody thinks a two-seat version of the F-35
is possible ? Are the Marines restricted to just
the STO variant ?

By: Byron Skinner

Byron Skinner — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 20:25:06 +0000

Good Afternoon Folks,
Did anybody mention Iran?
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner

By: steve

steve — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 18:52:17 +0000

“But it might prove hard adapting a single-seat jet to a mission currently performed by a jet seating four.“
… or it might not be so bad, after all. The EF-111A did the same job with essentially the same electronics and a crew of two, starting in 1981. Computers have come a long way since then, and it may now be possible to to do the job with a crew of one.