With that business out of the way, enjoy this little gem!

http://defensetech.org/2013/04/23/afghan-air-force-waits-on-light-attack-aircraft/

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/04/armed-drones-afghanistan/

More Aviationintel articles on this topic: http://aviationintel.com/category/light-air-support-contract-afghanistan/

PS: No I will not stop harping on this issue. It is a showcase of how our leadership, industry and our defense department are failing America systemically and it needs to be addressed. Nothing gets fixed by sitting quietly and waiting, sad fact of life.

Time     Position     Orientation     Groundspeed     Altitude     Reporting Facility
EDT     Latitude     Longitude     Course     Direction     KTS     MPH     feet     Rate     Location/Type
11:25AM     30.0700     -85.5765     23°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:26AM     30.0700     -85.5765     24°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:27AM     30.0700     -85.5765     22°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:27AM     30.5856     -85.2236     24°     Northeast     476     548     23,000      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:28AM     30.0700     -85.5765     12°     North                  Level     Estimated
11:28AM     30.5717     -85.0664     96°     East     482     555     23,000      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:29AM     30.0700     -85.5765     25°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:29AM     30.5658     -84.9069     92°     East     495     570     23,000      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:30AM     30.0700     -85.5765     23°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:30AM     30.6225     -84.7586     66°     East     480     552     23,100      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:31AM     30.0700     -85.5765     23°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:31AM     30.6789     -84.6050     67°     East     492     566     23,000      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:32AM     30.0700     -85.5765     24°     Northeast                  Level     Estimated
11:32AM     30.7264     -84.4756     67°     East     492     566     23,000      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:33AM     30.7825     -84.3289     66°     East     497     572     23,000     -60 Level     Jacksonville Center
11:34AM     30.8361     -84.1894     66°     East     486     559     22,900     -60 Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:35AM     30.8939     -84.0400     66°     East     488     562     22,900     -600 Level     Jacksonville Center
11:36AM     30.9517     -83.8978     65°     Northeast     498     573     21,700     -2,580 Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:37AM     31.0069     -83.7481     67°     East     470     541     17,700     -3,720 Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:38AM     31.0536     -83.6250     66°     East     438     504     14,300     -3,420 Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:39AM     31.1003     -83.5039     66°     East     391     450     10,900     4,200 Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:40AM     30.9175     -83.9797     246°     West     492     566     22,900     5,880 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:41AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:42AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:43AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:44AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:45AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:46AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900     -12,660 Level     Jacksonville Center
11:46AM     31.2183     -83.1939     66°     East     287     330     7,100      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:47AM     30.9175     -83.9797     246°     West     492     566     22,900     -2,580 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:47AM     31.1389     -83.1911     72°     East     273     314     4,500      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:48AM     30.9175     -83.9797     252°     West     492     566     22,900     -2,400 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:48AM     31.0681     -83.1908     77°     East     265     305     2,100      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:49AM     30.9175     -83.9797     258°     West     492     566     22,900     -1,140 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:49AM     31.0158     -83.1908     82°     East     174     200     1,000      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:50AM     30.9175     -83.9797     262°     West     492     566     22,900     180 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:50AM     30.9594     -83.1931     86°     East     231     266     1,200      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:51AM     30.9175     -83.9797     267°     West     492     566     22,900     1,560 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:51AM     30.9050     -83.1661     91°     East     254     292     2,800      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:52AM     30.9175     -83.9797     271°     West     492     566     22,900     240 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:52AM     30.9575     -83.1156     87°     East     256     295     3,100      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:53AM     30.9175     -83.9797     267°     West     492     566     22,900     11,760 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:54AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:55AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
11:56AM     30.9175     -83.9797     270°     West     492     566     22,900     -16,080 Level     Jacksonville Center
11:56AM     31.1619     -83.1742     70°     East     269     310     2,800      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:57AM     30.9175     -83.9797     251°     West     492     566     22,900     -900 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:57AM     31.0931     -83.1886     75°     East     241     277     1,900      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:58AM     30.9175     -83.9797     256°     West     492     566     22,900     -420 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:58AM     31.0450     -83.1883     79°     East     177     204     1,500      Descending     Jacksonville Center
11:59AM     30.9175     -83.9797     260°     West     492     566     22,900     -720 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
11:59AM     30.9969     -83.1906     83°     East     163     188     800      Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:00PM     30.9175     -83.9797     264°     West     492     566     22,900     660 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:00PM     30.9342     -83.1928     88°     East     250     288     1,500      Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:01PM     30.9175     -83.9797     269°     West     492     566     22,900     5,100 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:01PM     30.8403     -83.2072     96°     East     367     422     6,700      Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:02PM     30.9175     -83.9797     277°     West     492     566     22,900     7,080 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:02PM     30.7753     -83.3278     104°     East     440     506     13,900     -4,740 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:03PM     30.7519     -83.4075     251°     West     449     517     18,200     6,420 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:03PM     30.7267     -83.4847     249°     West     454     522     21,000     3,660 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:04PM     30.7094     -83.5450     252°     West     480     552     21,900     540 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:05PM     30.6628     -83.6944     250°     West     479     551     21,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
12:06PM     30.6200     -83.8267     249°     West     455     524     21,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
12:07PM     30.5794     -83.9592     250°     West     447     514     21,900      Level     Jacksonville Center
12:08PM     30.5469     -84.0769     252°     West     441     507     22,000      Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:09PM     30.5019     -84.2067     248°     West     441     507     21,900     -900 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:10PM     30.4631     -84.3386     251°     West     441     507     20,300     -4,980 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:11PM     30.4172     -84.4847     250°     West     441     507     12,000     -4,200 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:12PM     30.3781     -84.6167     251°     West     441     507     12,000     300 Level     Jacksonville Center
12:13PM     30.3414     -84.7075     245°     Southwest     431     496     12,700     60 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:14PM     30.3039     -84.8342     251°     West     437     503     12,200     -360 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:15PM     30.2664     -84.9633     251°     West     431     496     12,000     -660 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:16PM     30.2394     -85.0828     255°     West     412     474     10,900      Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:17PM     30.2292     -85.1883     264°     West     352     405     12,000     -3,000 Climbing     Jacksonville Center
12:18PM     30.2231     -85.2964     266°     West     339     390     5,000     -4,380 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:19PM     30.2275     -85.3881     273°     West     311     358     3,300     -960 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:20PM     30.2361     -85.4747     277°     West     290     334     3,100     -540 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:21PM     30.2469     -85.5617     278°     West     279     321     2,300     -660 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:22PM     30.2494     -85.6458     272°     West     274     315     1,800     -300 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:23PM     30.2042     -85.7022     227°     Southwest     232     267     1,700     -120 Descending     Jacksonville Center
12:25PM     30.0771     -85.5769     140°     Southeast                  Level     FlightAware Approximate
12:32PM     30.0667     -85.5667     161°     South                  Level     FlightAware Approximate
12:33PM     30.0700     -85.5765     161°     South                  Level     Estimated
12:34PM     30.0700     -85.5765     161°     South                  Level     Estimated
12:35PM     30.0700     -85.5765     161°     South                  Level     Estimated
12:36PM     30.0700     -85.5765     161°     South                  Level     Estimated
12:37PM     30.0700     -85.5765     161°     South                  Level     Estimated

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/HORNT01/history/20130417/1530Z/KPAM/KPAM

“NASA Inc.” is doing what NASA abandoned years ago. Why? Because it makes dollars and sense…

You tell me how this makes sense? I realize the CH-53s were needed elsewhere for a period of time and the Phrogs are being phased out, but using an MV-22 to ferry around the White House Press Corps and the President’s team makes zero sense. Now if the whole HMX-1 force were MV-22s that would be a wild luxury but the benefits would be potentially relevant… Keep in mind these things run about $70M per copy and are not the most reliable or low-cost machine available (don’t even start with me on the USMC’s slanted mission capable rate figures). Why not just grab some slick Blackhawks and convert them for the role? The whole USMC obsession with silver bullets or bust, after decades of “getting by,” irks me. In reality Osprey production should have ended this year for the Marines and the S-92 Superhawk should be painted green in this picture, and low-viz gray on ramps, FOBs, and Helicopter Landing Docks around the globe…

Don’t expect to see a Presidential “White Top” MV-22 (would it be a VV-22?) either. I have it first hand that this was not even brought up. Odd huh? A  machine that is super capable of vastly improving the VH-3D’s mission, on paper, yet there is no interest in doing so. Considering that the Osprey flies higher and much faster than the alternatives, and it already has an integrated countermeasure suite including top of the line DIRCM gear (CV-22 did all that dev work) why isn’t the President going to be flying on these? Hell, HMX-1 is getting 12 of them for goodness sake! The answer probably is safety and stigma. Yeah I know it’s technically the safest helicopter in the inventory right now but it’s not that simple and you know it. The only reason these things should be painted green is if the DoD and POTUS can prove they are more cost-effective than conventional helicopters, in that they will use them to fly from DC to NYC and other sub-400 mile trips in the vicinity instead of firing up Air Force One. Then they could potentially pay for themselves if White Tops were included in the fleet.

Sad… Its not such a bad idea, but it will never happen because we have an administration like, others before it, where everyone else has to get creative about doing more with less, but them.  As I stated earlier, there appears to be no sequestration for the Presidential Airlift office and their supporting military components.

Ground 17 USAF combat squadrons but let’s make sure these $70M VIP Opsreys shine, a role that should be accomplished by a machine a third of the cost and reduced in flight hours at that. Again, DoD procurement is a broken and ironic institution, and I don’t see Sec Def Hagel capable of doing anything about it. It is all ridiculous and insulting.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes sense anymore…

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/uclass.html

Such a poor time to introduce expensive and cutting edge new potential weapons systems, but none-the-less Lockheed’s “Sea Ghost” design that will compete with the likes of Northrop Grumman’s X-47 based design, Boeing’s Phantom Ray and General Atomic’s Sea Avenger for the Navy’s first operational UCAV has a serious pedigree and will be one hell of a competitor for this crucial tender. Clearly, Lockheed has taken major design cues from its now famous RQ-170 Sentinel as a proven configuration to build off of, really the only known semi-autonomous stealthy unmanned system operational around the world today. This video is so interesting because it lightly mentions some of the true advantages that these machines will feature such as autonomy and multi-platform “fused” operations with minimal human intervention or guidance. All things I have discussed here for years and in great detail.

If you have not already make sure to read my widely distributed piece “Tyler’s 10 Thoughts On The Future Of Drone Warfare” for more big picture discussion on what lies ahead in the very much unmanned future of combat aviation please have a read.

UCLASS and UCAV’s in general are where the future truly lies for first days of war anti-access bashing and surveillance weapons platforms. Those who say a human needs to remain in the cockpit for these missions are frankly fools or they are speaking from their pocket book and not their conscious. In UCAVs, America has the chance to leap far ahead of the world in terms of air combat capability by redefining what air combat means at its very core and by literally re-writing the book on what cutting edge capabilities are considered, well, cutting edge. I am talking quantum leap here guys. The timing has never been better to fully embrace our unmanned future, it makes DOLLARS and SENSE.

I feel absolutely terrible that I have not finished my piece requested by the Aviationintel readership about the “realities” of UCAV development and maturity at this time. In fact I have about 5 pieces that are almost done but for whatever reason I have left and not finished as life got in the way- Future of Red Flag, the damn Zero Dark Thirty review, a huge fragmented piece on North Korea I HAVE to get up as its predictions are coming true as I write this, and a couple others including a half written piece on net centric warfare. As far as the UCAV piece, I think I am going to condense what I have this weekend and get my thoughts out to advance the discussion here on the site and beyond. Nobody is telling a very shadowy side of the unmanned story, one where facts are vaporous but trends and logic are quite tangible. I simply have to finish this thing up. It is like my mind is having a separate discussion than what my readers understand currently via my body of work. I want to at least give some reasons why I feel so strongly about moving forward with advanced unmanned air combat and accelerating the race to unleash its true potential, although I actually believe that race has already been ran, we just have not been allowed to know the outcome…

Stay tuned guys… If I could I would just write away on this site all day, so pickup the phone Aviation Week or flightglobal.com or wherever and tell them to hire me ASAP haha!

Cheers guys and have a great Friday full shadowy stealth drones zipping around in your head!

Ty

I GIVE THIS THING A 1 IN 10 CHANCE OF SEEING WIDESPREAD US ARMY, NAVY, MARINE OR USAF SERVICE. Although, if they had the bucks, the USCG could really use this type, and even AFSOC to a certain extent, but in limited numbers.

This video is kinda embarrassing. Come on Bell Marketing, the Government is your customer not 8 year old boys. This video delivers little hard info about your product and is cheesy and stupid. Sorry for being so critical, but man I am in the wrong business if crap like this gets green lighted by a major defense player like Bell-Textron.

Here is the website on this thing-

http://bellv280.com/

The future will lie in Boeing (who abandoned the tilt-rotor dream after peddling it for decades with Bell, not a good sign) and Sikorsky’s X-2 pusher type technology. It is simpler, has a smaller footprint and cheaper than the complex tilt rotor concept. Still, even that is a long shot at this point considering the current circumstances.

Draken International has done it, the first of the APG-66 radar equipped ex-New Zealand Air Force A-4k Skyhawks, some of the most advanced ever built, and a gaggle of MB-339 trainers have taken flight. A huge congrats to the folks at Draken, many said the New Zealand A-4K deal was a cursed pipe-dream that nobody could make a reality. It is always great to see someone prove the naysayers wrong. This also marks the first time in known history that a private adversary support aircraft is capable of providing a modern and dynamic air to air (and air to ground/surface for that matter) radar threat profile, which could potentially be an industry game changer. Please take a look at my past piece on Draken International for a background on this intriguing new contender in the increasingly competitive contractor adversary support service provider marketplace:

 http://aviationintel.com/2012/08/07/new-aggressor-in-the-commercial-adversary-support-game-draken-international-bets-big-on-red-air/

*Picture courtesy of Draken International

ABSOLUTELY READ THIS HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130408/NEWS/304080035/Reduced-flying-hours-forces-grounding-17-USAF-combat-air-squadrons

We are our own worst enemy. Our fiscal policy will get us long before the big bad Russian Bear, the Chinese Dragon or some AK-47 packing boogeyman living in a mud hut in the middle of nowhere. Literally, sequester will take about 40% of the USAF’s combat punch off operational status and will gut complex training. Our leadership, in Congress, in the White House, and in the Pentagon, is a joke. This is not about partisan politics (Bush got this insanity rolling, I count him as one of the worst executives of all time, so don’t troll this into a R v D sideshow, get over your harmful “sports team” myopic political views they are divisive and not helpful), this is about a very clear reality that those in power only like to make decisions when they are easy and beneficial, when the ones that really matter come to pass they punt and could really care less where the ball lands. Since we PAY these “leaders” to make not just easy decisions but the tough ones, they are total failures in their profession.

Congress hides in plain site as a shrugging collective herd, safety in numbers you know. The DoD acts like they are victims of circumstance, and the President, well this sure is not his priority right now is it? What happened to his ice cold promise that he would not allow sequestration to come to pass? Such tough words, such steely resolve, yet totally empty in execution. Just more political theater needed to be performed with Oscar winning acuity in order to get a second term of business as usual. Reality- there really was not even a damn fight over sequester. When nobody is to blame (oh the great “who came up with this BS sequester idea in the first place” debate) nobody in Washington even cares. Your Government has checked the hell out and as a consequence we are throwing out prized military capabilities that took decades of momentum, billions in treasure and even brave lives to realize. Why? Because nobody, or at least very few in power, are willing to make the hard decisions or come up with actual solutions to very real problems. Maddening. And for those of you who want to comment “get over it man, this is Washington DC, it will never change” I say you are a part of the problem not the solution. We would still be living in caves if everyone had your lax and empty fortitude and total lack of creative vision. In fact your very freedom to be an apathetic and lazy pawn was won by people who did not share such a flaccid outlook on an individual’s ability to make a difference. In more clear terms, I am sick of that cop-out and I don’t want to hear it anymore.

I find it very strange that 17 USAF squadrons are being GROUNDED, including the USAF Thunderbirds Jet Demonstration Team, yet Air Force One showed up at SFO last week, along with a pair of Marine One helicopters, a squadron of Marine force protection and staff transport helicopters, the Presidential Motorcade, assorted heavy transports and hundreds of Secret Service so that President Obama could raise $3.2 million for Nancy Pelosi’s reelection. Air Force One is all about “The One” apparently, the rest of us won’t get to see or interact with the military we pay for this year. Think of it as ending White House Public tours but at 600kts and 7.5Gs… Nice.

With this in mind I ask where is sequester for the Presidential Airlift fleet? So 17 USAF combat squadrons can’t fly, the Thunderbirds have their wings clipped so no public USAF presence and the front line guys that still remain flying get their precious complex training hours slashed, but the money burning tub known as Air Force One gets to cruise around with unlimited mileage? How is a Nancy Pelosi’s fundraiser “essential operations?” It is good to be king I guess, that way none of the rules or “tough decisions” ever apply to you.

I challenge the White House to significantly curtail non-essential VC-25 operations and related executive travel just like the rest of the USAF. Are endless vacations, constant trips to Hollywood and political fund raisers seriously justified expenses right now? Considering the readiness of our prized USAF will be degraded to a degree never imagined before I really doubt that such luxuries are necessary. I mean I would venture to guess that the President’s trip to San Francisco cost more than the money raised at the political fund raiser. One has to ask themselves, why not just have the Government write Pelosi a check instead? I bet it would have been cheaper for the tax payer!

Maybe this news will finally reveal the myth that is the Joint Strike Fighter “program.” That myth being that we can’t afford such a concept in relevant numbers, yet alone that we don’t even need it. Think about, if even with this relatively small cut of sequester our Air Force gets put out to pasture than how on earth do the geniuses at the DoD expect to procure, operate and support 2500+ F-35s which cost between twice and four times that of the aircraft they intend to replace and at least twice as much to sustain and operate? What cancer is living in the halls of our military’s command and Congress that would continue to usher us down this clear path of strategic un-sustainability? How can they even explain such clearly insolvent plans? I mean I see posts about the Super Hornet’s replacement, the F/A-XX, really what the F-35 should have been, and I just laugh sadly. What planet are these guys even living on? We cannot afford the decades old hodgepodge of aircraft we have now yet alone a sea of F-35s, yet alone a sixth generation super-duper fighter! Am I missing something here?

We desperately need a real fighting man or woman with stars on their collar to come out and tell Congress and the nation that the enemy is us, and that things like the LCS, F-35 and so on are a liability militarily at this point. It is so damn clear that we need to procure a diverse set of capabilities that are flexible and will allow commanders to mix and match their individual attributes and weigh their “cost benefit” comparative capabilities to the urgency and needs of the mission at hand. Skip a generation in aircraft design, make the best of what we already have and look toward the next “big thing” (unmanned and/or expendable!) for your ultra-high end first day of war capabilities.

The Air Force could sit down and solve this funding issue themselves right now by doing the unthinkable, and what Congress is unwilling to do, and come up with a rationalized and sustainable force structure and long term budget for the future, featuring a flexible and affordable high-end, low-end capability mix. Cutting readiness and training should be absolutely the last, not first, avenue of action under such circumstances as we all know real the money is saved in procurement. You can have the best gear in the world but if you cannot fight with it proficiently at almost any given time than what the hell is it worth? In other words, buying and sustaining gobs of grossly expensive military hardware that you cannot even afford to use begs the simple question: What the hell is the point in buying it in the first place? 

Spinning squadrons up and down as this plan highlights will only cost us more in the long run to reattain the quality of capability we have enjoyed previously and for which our battle tactics are currently reliant upon. Plus, what will this do to our aircrew corps? In fact this whole thing sounds downright dangerous not just strategically, but also physically for those who are assigned to operate these complex weapon systems. In fact that quality and proficiency, built up over so many years, may be impossible to obtain ever again in mass with such a sad and gutted readiness and training plan.

I sit here and think of America’s spastic military procurement habits over the last couple of decades and reflect on the force we have to today. Seriously, could a child have done better considering where we stand presently? A 35 year old ATF program that gave us 184 F-22 Raptors. A tanker that still has not even taken to the skies even though it was needed a at least a decade and a half ago. Hell, we cannot even buy a couple dozen turboprop attack aircraft for another country without years of mismanagement and damaging industry intervention. The whole DoD procurement joke seems more like a jobs program than an actual defense doctrine to me. Lots of folks lining their pockets or gaining politically capital and a customer (us) with pitifully little to show for it. And now we are about to mortgage the readiness and long-term durability of even this increasingly antiquated military force simply because nobody in power can agree to a sensible, even handed restructuring of government spending. Apparently the business of big party politics is more important than our nation’s ability to defend our interests at home and abroad. In the end it is just another ominous sign of a dimming empire, and the fiddles are playing in mass and at full tempo in Washington’s firey halls of power.

Demand change, at the rate things are going our very security may depend on it…