Comments on: Mattis Still Supports Light COIN Plane Air Force Wants Dead

By: cabro

cabro — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 13:45:11 +0000

Air Force foughtthe C-27..The original numbers got cut in half and taken away from the Guard because of AF. Again, they bitch about doing something..but then they don’t want to let anyone else do it..They agreed to fund the C-27 and then turned around and left it out of their budget..then “Agreed” to put it back in but at half the numbers and under their control.. .in essence managed to take back permanently an organic asset that was originally ARNG/Army– the Sherpa, by owning the replacement.… Did this with the guardrail replacement as well

By: Bohemond

Bohemond — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 20:42:51 +0000

This is not science fiction, buddy. We need generations of AI development before a UAV could be a satisfactory CAS/COIN aircraft.

By: Robert A. Fritts

Robert A. Fritts — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:20:01 +0000

Dave and Mark, I would like to invite you to spend 3–6 months with a infantry company in Eastern Afghanistan. Air Farce Officers helo in and out for one-two day visits and proclaim “all is well in the Fast Mover world”. It takes a few weeks on the ground or 4 minutes talking to the E-6s and below in the USAF TACP to know how wrong things are in CAS. Which is why these “real fighting Airman” love AH-64s.If you have ever been tainted by flying or just hanging around “real” jet fighters you know absolutely nothing.2 Bns leaving Ft. Riley after X-mas. I’m sure with all of your pilot training they can find something for you to do. Or go on the TACP blogs and listen to the USAF ground punders, no on else in the USAF does.

By: @nomar04x

@nomar04x — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:37:29 +0000

Indeed. They could put the electronics of an UAV inside that plane and the result will be a more versatile platform that can deliver bigger payload than a Predator, have more loitering time than a F-22, A-10 or JSF and will be cheaper to operate than both. Plus the Army is developing airships to replace the UAV in their reconnaissance mission and I bet the will have a surplus of UAVs which electronics probably could be modified with a little American ingenuity to operate the COIN plane creating at the same time one of the first Combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

By: @nomar04x

@nomar04x — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:23:54 +0000

a saving in fuel and parts, longer loiteing time and smaller support assets

By: Robert A. Fritts

Robert A. Fritts — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:59:21 +0000

My dad was a grenedier on the russian front in 1943, got wounded and then learned to fly. He flew He-219s at the end of WW2, came to the US as a 17year old POW, stay as a minor and enlisted in the USAF in 1948. He became a officer and flew Mustangs then A-26s in Korea. Because of his background he flew was always assigned to odd aircraft. But he never forgot being a grunt. I’ve done 2 tours in Iraq and 4 in A-stan and I truely believe that the USAF(and most USN and even alot of USMC pilots) have forgotten the GRUNTS.

Maybe the wild comments on this page about making a strategic air command and rolling the rest of the USAF into the Army is not such a crazy idea. No pilot training until you have served in a leadership position in a Combat Arms Unit. Let the Strat boys fly around in shiny jets and let warfighters fight wars.
also just a note the order of preference in most of my A-stan tours for support was AH-64, B-1B, British Harrier and then French Mirage2000.
just my 2cents.

By: Prof.Marley, Col.ret

Prof.Marley, Col.ret — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:58:31 +0000

Prop-driven fighter-bombers did well during the 1950s in Korea. The old Vought-Corsairs, driven by Marine Pilots—brought the fight-to-the-fight, whereas the jets could never come in close and long enough to be as effective during ground combat. General Mattis knows what he is talking about. Unfortunately, the ‘politicians’ do NOT—as they do NOT want to listen to their Generals.

By: Prof.Marley, Col.ret

Prof.Marley, Col.ret — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:35:19 +0000

Sure, the Prop-driven aircraft are slower than jets—which give the pilots time to hone-in on their targets with full visual time while firing their weapons. The old Vought-Corsairs give us plenty of air-cover during ground combat in Korea (1950s) and the jets could not use their guns as long. “Loitering-time” is givng the pilot enough time to do a job that needs time to get it done right. General Mattis knows what he is talking about. Unfortunately, the politicians do NOT want to listen to their Generals.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:04:33 +0000

Any Why is the Navy running his program??? Most of this will be conducted over land not water…lets get back into our lanes in the road…

If you are involved in Naval irragular warfare, make sure it involves water somewhere…

By: Brian C.

Brian C. — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:19:10 +0000

I understand where they are coming from, however not supporting the War the troops are fighting in doesn’t send the right message to the troops, or the enemy. When Obama says, “The military will be pulling out on (Any Date)”. The terrorist are celebrating the news. He says it to satisfy a particular political party and does the troops harm by telling the enemy our game plan. We all have a right to not like the war. No one has ever won in Afganistan. As much as I hate to say it, We most likely will not either.

The bottom line is: If you protest, condemn our being there or any other public out gry, you ARE hurting our troops morale and the effort they are dying for. Have your opinion, but keep it to you and your friends so as not to harm others, who are just trying to do their job and protect our country. Unlike Vietnam, terrorist from Afganistan did attack “US” first.

USAF Msgt., retired