Bharat Rakshak

brar_w

Finally someone talks about logistics and sustainment . If you have terrain, weather, distance and quick deployment needs you will prefer to tow as opposed to an integrated system. It is the same for air defense or counter fire radars, power supply and a whole host of other equipment. Folks often lo...

brar_w

FWIW, I was recently at n event with one of Boeing SL's lead ex-exec who was very high up in their naval programs (hornet/SH) through 2018 and he seems to think that they have a far better chance in Germany than India. Given they have limited time before they sunset production this might be a true a...

brar_w

KSingh wrote: Remember the name of the game is VLO, a larger airframe is inherently putting you at a disadvantage in terms of RCS and there’s only so much you can do to mitigate that

This generalization cannot be further from the truth.

brar_w

That doesn't support national security missions. Space X will more than happily fill any void for either the security needs, or NASA needs. They have the capacity to execute, on average, a launch a week now and can always make room in the out years if there are any delays at ULA.

brar_w

First B-21 Enters Ground Test; Sixth Bomber Starts Assembly

brar_w

A case of quitting before you're about to get fired. The decision to wean away from Russian engines was taken years ago and the Vulcan is that for ULA. Between that and Space X they have all the launch supply they need for any national security needs.

brar_w

IIRC the efforts to use Hellfire in a G to G role was shot down in the US for inter services powergames. We should not make such a mistake. HF in the US military as a program is led by the US Army. It is used on aircraft (manned, unmanned, and RW), ground and naval platforms. The size and scope of ...

brar_w

For the nth time, a DSCA notification does not constitute contracted price. It is a department of state notification that includes stuff that may not even end up in a contract or even remotely relatable to hardware cost (such as long term contractor support, local production/support partner transfer...

brar_w

Rare dual JSOW carriage configuration on Greek F-16's. LINK

brar_w

One of the consequences of going it alone on the Rafale is the cost that the French AF and the military has had to pay across other competencies where they've had to shed capability, delay recapitalization, or reduce strength to pay for the autonomy of having their own combat aircraft program. Strat...

brar_w

France has direct control over preventing Germany from jumping ship to the Tempest. Only reason they would do it is if their industry feels like it isn't getting a proportional share in the development and production work. I don't think Germany has any incentive to leave. France has all the incentiv...

brar_w

https://twitter.com/DefenceDecode/status/1492047161227284480?s=20&t=1IrOZztTkjpFHYXCJFZzzA ---> Akash missile transportation vehicle. What would be the typical time to reload a launcher with this vehicle? Will be important parameter to assess how much a Akash launcher foil saturation attacks. R...

brar_w

Appears Germany has made a decision to buy the F-35A. See tweet below from Thorsten Benner (Global Public Policy Institute, Berlin) citing a news report (clip in the tweet). Germany to buy F-35 jets to replace aging Tornado fleet participating in nuclear sharing, BILD reports. Decision expected by E...

brar_w

^^ Given how many launches, and booster recoveries they've done, and the payload they've already put into space, he seems to be not bad at the whole space launch thing either.

brar_w

Finland has shown what a well run foreign hardware acquisition program looks like. They asked for Best and Final Offers from the OEMs or programs bidding for the hardware/offset, weapons etc, and from the governments associated with those offers for sovereign supply guarantees, leaving zero room for...

brar_w

But the point stands, even if this cost is slightly inflated it’s still without weapons, that’s should make up an additional $2-3 billion for a 36 unit order I think the point I was trying to make is that you can't determine the offer, or derive a unit cost based on DSCA notifications. It is simply...

brar_w

The F-15 ID notice is a State department/DSCA notification of a potential sale. The way it works is that Boeing supplies the state department with a package for which it seeks approval. State approves it and estimates the cost. That package is not what Boeing offers to a customer, or the specifics t...

brar_w

Finland has officially signed its F-35 agreement after selecting the a/c last year -- The procurement contracts include the deliveries of 64 multi-role fighters in 2025-30 that represent the F-35A Block 4 configuration, aircraft engines and maintenance equipment, systems, spare parts, replacement eq...

brar_w

RFI's by their nature are vague because it is a survey for what the industry can deliver within anticipated schedule, cost and risk before a realistic set of requirements are finalized and offers solicited. Of course they would ask for 360 degree capability as that would be essential requirement. It...

brar_w

The USAF has said that it needs interim capability as it develops more survivable AMTI capability elsewhere. As such, I seriously doubt they will buy 33 aircraft. Likely replacing 30-50% of the E-3 fleet, and use the retired a/c to extend the life of the remaining. It has seen, exercised, and perfor...

brar_w

Germany participates in the nuclear sharing mission of NATO and has US nuclear weapons housed on its soil, and its Tornado aircraft modified to deliver them. As that platform is replaced, it wants to maintain a platform that can ensure continuity of that mission.

brar_w

Aerial view of the full starship stack -

brar_w

cant they adapt the typhoon for nuclear mission? with all their industrial might?! or add pods to make it ECR ready? Yes absolutely. It will cost them a ton and they would have to get in line as the US would have to certify its nuclear weapons on a new platform, and a brand new nuclear platform its...

brar_w

Why would Germany buy f18 - they already have the typhoon ?! why do they need another 4th gen foreign fighter? Three factors - 1) Needed for the NATO nuclear mission currently performed by the Tornado 2) Growler is needed for the ECR mission currently performed by the Tornado 3) It is not the F-35 ...

brar_w

^^ It's a thing about UK budgets and product maturity in terms of capability development and enhancements. The Typhoon has an AESA. The initial version of it is flying on the Kuwaiti aircraft. Here we often tend to overlook product development, pre and post production planned/evolved enhancements et...

brar_w

They will be lucky to have just 2 programs. I feel there will be room for a third. Sweden may decide to split and produce something that is more affordable (and less ambitious/capable) than either the FCAS or Tempest. They could leverage sub-systems, propulsion etc from across these next gen program...

brar_w

Italy UK partnership is different from UK German partnership. Germany is the big dog in Europe, and Brexit meant that it had to do something to ensure that no further desertions took place and that the UK had to pay some sort of price for its decision. Now that its happened, and the French - German ...

brar_w

You have the Super Hornet and Typhoon leading the 4+ generation production game. Followed by Rafale and then the Gripen. Splitting to 2 or even 3 programs yet again means that we'll see a similar fragmentation of combat aircraft programs in Europe and both (or all 3) will be 5.5 gen instead of somet...

brar_w

And Dassault is feeling good enough about itself after it's string of recent successes specially the UAE order that they are butting heads with the Germans and Airbus over work share and technology for the FCAS project :lol: And Boeing is feeling the heat and offering to up it's overall F-18 offeri...

brar_w

The Search To Replace The Air Force’s Geriatric E-3 Sentry Radar Jets Has Officially Begun (Updated). Officials from across the service have earmarked the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail as their preferred Sentry successor. The U.S. Air Force has officially launched the process of finding a replacement for it...

brar_w

A Sixth B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Is Now Being Built The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that a sixth B-21 Raider is now under construction, and that software designed to support the aircraft's fuel system has already been validated in a digital environment. The service is still expecting the rollout...

brar_w

Yes the fate of Super Hornet production rests on the German decision. US Congress will fund the line and keep it open through the German decision cycle so if they decide to re-consider and pick the F-35A (which their AF wanted from the start), then the Super Hornet production will end following late...

brar_w

There is no meaningful Rafale or SH capability inside five years. It takes time to place orders and learn a new system. So MiG-29Ks will have to serve as the main combat elements of the new carriers first few years of operations. That said, leasing french Rafales, or USN SH's could be an option with...

brar_w

F-22 Raptor Spotted Flying With Stealthy Underwing Pods An F-22 Raptor belonging to Edwards Air Force Base's 411th Test and Evaluation Squadron has been flying around with stealthy enclosures hanging off its under-wing hardpoints. This is the first time we have ever seen the Raptor equipped with su...

brar_w

The problem is that the Boeing's F/A-18 orders are about to dry up for the US Navy which is unlikely to include any in its FY-23 budget request. The Canadians have ruled it out and will order the F-35A later this year. The Swiss, and Finns have done the same. The Germans could potentially pick it b...

brar_w

It will have to be the existing MiG-29K's. You don't induct completely new aircraft and deploy a brand new carrier with them in 12-18 months. It's a much longer term process.

brar_w

The problem is that the Boeing's F/A-18 orders are about to dry up for the US Navy which is unlikely to include any in its FY-23 budget request. The Canadians have ruled it out and will order the F-35A later this year. The Swiss, and Finns have done the same. The Germans could potentially pick it bu...

brar_w

AARGM-ER Completes Second Successful Missile Live Fire https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AARGM-ER-missile.jpeg.webp Northrop Grumman Corporation announced the successful completion of the second flight test of its AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AAR...

brar_w

Selling Turkey F-16V's looks like a good compromise given that the F-35 program termination was a reactionary step to S-400. F-16 sales may be a minimum they have to do to maintain current state of relationship that they can build upon post Erdogan.

brar_w

Greece progresses F-35 procurement plans Greece's plans to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) are set to take a step forward, with a team from the programme office scheduled to visit the country in February. The US Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, told nat...

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