Another Nixon
Today Duncan had a number of posts about Chris Christie and “Trafficgate”, but this one instantly made me think of Richard Milhous “Tricky Dick” Nixon and the 1972 Presidential election.
Nixon didn’t need to do any of the things that resulted in his resignation, he was going to be re-elected, but his personality took him over the line. Christie is the same way, and you have to wonder if he does this sort of thing with the resources of the governor of New Jersey, what would he be capable of with the intel community, the IRS, DHS, etc. under his control? Is anyone interested in finding out?
11 comments
Uh .. no. Thank you, no. No. Nope. No way.
Just what the country needs – a paranoid ‘straight-talker’. What could go wrong? [/sarcasm]
I just watched this on TDS!! PMSL
The only good thing about being back, so far! 😉 LOL (And no… I’m not trying to rub it in… I wouldn’t do that…) 🙄 😈
I haven’t had time to catchup on what I’ve missed here, but I’ll assume you blogged about this:
‘NSA ruined it!’ Brazil ditches Boeing jets, grants $4.5 bln contract to Saab
Fact is, they were going to ditch the F-18 anyway. The Military had actually decided they preferred the F-16D (which is a much better fighter for them anyway).
Yeah, I caught the story. I think they wanted a point fighter aircraft, and the military had selected the SAAB based on cost of ownership that would fit their needs. The government was leaning towards the FA-18 until the revelations about the NSA.
This is a valiant effort by the US to knock Rob Ford, the mayor of Toronto, out of the top spot of most disreputable politician in North America, No one told Christie that this only works if the target of the retaliation knows you did it, but can’t prove it. This was just incredibly stupid.
Yep (to both!) 😀 I think Christi let his recent popularity raise his testosterone way too high! Good… I never trusted him. This brings his adoring fan’s back to Earth (somewhat anyway). I see further incidents in his future! LOL
The Brazilian Military had decided that if they couldn’t get the SAAB and they HAD to buy a US aircraft, they wanted the F16D (which IMHO is the best fighter the US has produced for decades). It get’s knocked a lot because OMG it only has ONE engine! The horror…
Ummm… Hate to disappoint, but the only multi-engine fighter that can (probably) survive a direct missile hit are the Russian Sukhoi Su-27, 30, 33, 35 and T-50. They were designed that way with the engines made from a titanium alloy and thick titanium shield between the two engines and the forward parts of the aircraft.
SAAB were concerned enough about the F-16D that they sweetened the deal by knocking off about $2.5 billion off the deal. That’s one hell of a discount! 😀
One comment on the above article I think get’s it:
Yep!
And for the record, the US F-16D is just about the only fighter the US has that can take on one of those Su’s and survive. Still the only US fighter capable of out-running a missile (with a greater than 1:1 power:weight ratio). Also, the F-16 are low maintenance, low-cost, can take-off & land almost anywhere, an engine can be replaced in less than an hour… and so on! The USA is insane. So what’s new? *shrug*
Oh.. And don’t even mention the new Sukhoi PAK FA T-50’s which have so far proven itself quite well. Though it is early days. 🙂
From news reports that I’ve been reading, it appears that the Russians are not planning for the very stealthy F-50 to be a “shadow boxer” such as the US plans for it’s stealth aircraft (close-in surgical strike missions primarily). It seems the Russians plan for them to be a kind of air-assassin. One of the most reliable sources is Bill Sweetman from Aviation Week:
A T-50 Update
There’s a nice summary (with links) here:
Russia’s Stealth Fighter Could Outfly, Outshoot American Jets
Now, I still have a couple contacts from *the old days* who are still… well, *in the loop*. 😉 🙂
one of them has… hinted, that one of the missions the SU-50’s are being designed for is to take out US E-2’s & E-3’s (and other AWACS aircraft) without being detected. Which indeed makes sense to me given the development of a more advanced RVV-BD anti-AWACS missile, with >400km range, for it. 🙂 I have heard other things that I’m not going to mention on a blog.
The reason I posted the above is that it applies to how the NSA debacle is changing the Global Military landscape. India has now stated it will fully commit to co-developing the T-50 with Russia (earlier last year there was some tension between them over the program with India delaying funds and Russia delaying development because India was talking about possibly joining the F35 Consortium, which they have now slammed the door on. They have even earmarked extra funding now for the T50 program. So, rather than drive a wedge into the opening gap between India & Russia, they have welded the gap shut!
Yes… The USA is now categorically, it’s own worst enemy! (Though, some of us have always known that). 😉 😀
“Stupid is as stupid does!”
Phew! Been awhile… 😉 😀
Oh, I should also point out this article from my old friend Dr. Copp (we worked together some years ago) 😉 I know him well, and have great respect for him.
The Strategic Impact of China’s J-XX [J-20] Stealth Fighter
You see, Russia and China have figured out that the absolute achilie’s heel of the US military, is logistics. Both the T-50 & J-20 are obviously designed to quickly decimate the US reliance on air-support (which the new gen US aircraft MUST have).
As stated:
It truly seems that the USA is willfully ignoring, or is simply ignorant of, the emerging threats. *shrug*
The media has been telling him that’s he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread for years, so why wouldn’t he believe he could get away with it. He has a lot in common with the Bush family, i.e. people are supposed to be loyal to him, but he doesn’t have to be loyal to anyone else.
With any luck the media will move on to someone else, while the Repubs keep banging the Benghazi drum in hopes of distracting people.
The US has been building over-priced hardware that is just too complicated to maintain. If they introduced stepped improvements over a series of aircraft, instead of going all out for the ultimate wishlist, it wouldn’t take decades to get new aircraft into the inventory.
By networking everything, they have created a vulnerability to the force. The F-22 is too thirsty to be practical in a war zone. It is really only effective as a coastal defense point interceptor. The reality is that the capabilities of the missiles have become more important than the capabilities of the aircraft carrying them.
In reading about the T-50 I get the feeling that they will be losing more pilots to the aircraft than the enemy. The aircraft are exceeding the specifications for humans that are flying them.
LOL Yeah, there are a few sad and sorry F-50 test pilot’s apparently! 😀 They are looking at a new kind of pressure suit, kinda like for the SR-71. I hear that one of the things India is helping with, is some kind of advanced conformal/adaptive pilot seat. If they do manage to solve that problem… There isn’t much in the World that could stand up to it.
Found an item regarding one of the new missiles for the F-50:
Bad News for U.S. Warplane Pilots: Russia’s New Dogfighting Missile Can’t Miss
This has also been reported on by Bill Sweetman. He also said the Russia will sell the new missile to China for it’s J-20. No surprise, China has been buying Russian missiles for many years.
Speaking of the SR-71… I heard that the SR-72 is on the drawing boards @ Lockheed. Apparently, they are planning for a hypersonic UAV version of the SR-71 (probably the best aircraft the USA ever built. The Soviet’s hated it! They tried several time to kill one, and never could). 🙂
And, speaking of Soviets… Did you know that Putin is resurrecting old Arctic air-force bases? One is already mostly operational, Temp airfield on Kotelny Island has power, heating, water, air traffic control equipment and accommodation. The airstrip is operational, and they are landing An-72 transports. They say by the end of the year, they will be able to operate Il-76 airlifter’s. They also plan to reactivate Tiksi in Yakutsia. In October, Putin vowed that Russia would never “surrender” its claims in the Arctic. Cold war is back! 😉 Brrrrrr… LOL
My contact also said that Russia has already begun building a new type of Nuclear powered Icekreaker, and some new Warships specifically designed for the arctic, and to hunt & kill US sub’s.
Annnnd… Russia is also building its next Satellite Network specifically for the Arctic, called “Arktika”. What an imaginative name. 😉
Umm… I hope that doesn’t bring back any bad memories m8.
Hey… have you heard of a US Tactical Aircraft project called “Scorpion”? Almost nobody has. 😐 Looks like a very nice little twin-engine aircraft to me! Well designed if I do say so. 😀 Of course, the USA won’t touch them… the company isn’t part of the MIC club (so far as I can find anyway).
Textron AirLand – Scorpion Jet
Ahhh… what else have I heard? …
Oh! Yes… For those who think the USA might actually scale *down* their spying operations after the recent debacles… think again! 😈
Seriously, Don’t Worry About the Pentagon’s Giant Planet-Sucking Octopus
However, You will be saved by Russia… if Putin is seriously pissed enough to actually go forward with the resurrection of an old plan. Indications are, he really is!
A FAS/CRS report was submitted to Congress in 2007 warning that whilst Washington is focused on hardening ground sites (primarily because of Nth. Korea), Russia has developed a prototype high-altitude EMP “satellite killer” that they won’t hesitate to produce and use. Since then, it seems the project has been successful, and the weapon may already be in production.
Also, Russia is also reactivating at least part of it’s mothballed Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire C Bomber fleet and they will be Updated with new avionics and weapons (specifically upgraded Anti-Ship missiles (including the formidable ‘Flattop Killer’ Kh-22N), anti-RADAR missiles, and updated land-attack missiles). It can also be fitted with the MKU series rotary launcher for a total of ten advanced Kh-15/AS-16 Kickback nuclear or conventional armed defense suppression missiles. New avionics suite includes improved radar (with much improved Doppler beam sharpening and terrain avoidance modes), jamming (a new wideband phased array jammer developed during the Phase 5 program), and weapons control (including manual & automated self-defense systems). Fuel payload is also being increased and it’s expected to have a combat radius of at least 2,500 nautical miles. Since the fleet of Tu-22M3 mothballed in ’97 had very few flight hours, they are in pretty good condition.
Hmmmm. I wonder what’s on Putin’s mind? For a Nation that is supposed to be broke, he’s sure spending some serious money! Of course, he has done some major deals with India, China, Iran… and others. And much thanks to the USA, they now have incentive to throw more money Russia’s way, such as India recently did. The (often wrong) Pundits in the USA claim that China *stole* the F-50 secrets for their new J-20. No… They paid a LOT for those secrets! Putin can be quite practical about *State Secrets* when it’s in his interest! 😉 😆
Phew (again)! 😀
Forgot to mention…
The other (and perhaps primary) reason for the reactivation of the Tu-22M3 Backfire C is that China wants to buy at least 36 of the modified Bombers. Both are talking this down, but my source says money has changed hands, otherwise Russia couldn’t have embarked on such a modernization program.
Makes sense to me. 😉
Also, it’s *rumored* that Russia & China plan to deploy some of them to our region. If so, we better reactivate and modernize our FB-111’s! Because our fleet of F-18’s will be seriously outclassed!
According to Dr. Copp: “To strategically balance a dozen Backfires requires two dozen F-111s and a dozen supporting KC-30B/A330-200MRTT tankers. Without the F-111, the number of F/A-18As or JSFs is effectively doubled, and tanker demands are nearly doubled. Should useful numbers of Backfires arrive in the region, the current plan for the RAAF’s force structure will result in a strategically irrelevant RAAF strike capability.”
I said for years, retiring the FB-111’s was a really bad and stupid decision (but a completely understandable typically political US ass-kissing decision).
Oh, and Russia’s Tupolev Tu-160 Supersonic nuclear bombers are active again. Two of the bombers recently successfully covered a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers (over 6,200 miles) during a 13-hour non-stop flight. 😉 🙂
Here’s a little update on that little Scorpion Jet. 🙂 I have to say… I like it (And amazingly, it’s 100% American)! 😉 😀
And Just Like That, a Fighter Jet Is Born
Apparently, the tough *little Jet that could* will be a bargain at around $20 mill a pop! Plus weapons, and a huge range of possible avionics. 🙂
Here’s a highlight:
Nice job. 😀
The code of the ‘Coldest Warriors’ made it clear that you didn’t do anything in the winter that might make someone in authority think it was necessary to launch a response, because no one needs to go outside in winter at Tiksi or Tin City – it is too damn cold.
We did ‘provocative actions’ elsewhere, but never in the Arctic in winter as a matter of professional courtesy for the other poor suckers forced to live there. When it drops below -40° C/F [same temp both scales] materials, even strong materials, shatter. Attempting to launch an aircraft is a very dangerous operation under those conditions, and a lot of people have died doing it.
Just another punishment tour for draftees and losers, that cost a hell of a lot of money to maintain, when they bothered. Half the time they used up their jet fuel trying to stay warm after the heating oil ran out because supplies were so iffy.
People are guessing that there is oil in the Arctic, but it isn’t worth the cost of getting it out. This is more Jingo in the real world.
Currently China and Japan are the only people who might believe they need this hardware. They are still fighting World War II.
If you build it, someone will build a defense.
The thing about the Scorpion is that it fills a gap that was used on 9/11 – local air defense against aircraft on a suicide mission. Currently they are using helicopters around DC, but a small cheap fighter with some decent range and minimal weapons would be useful for that mission, as well as escort duty.
Textron is in the MIC, but a very minor player. They are following the same path as Northrup does – build it and then sell it. That’s how the SR-71 was created, and it ruled the planet for decades.
The 71 was called the Habu on Okinawa, and they flew out of Kadena AB. Habu is a local adder on the island. They would roll out of their hangar to the runway and be airborne and invisible in seconds. When they landed, they were brown, not black, as they were cooling off, and it was more than an hour before the canopy would open. The pilot was extracted, but not much else was done for another hour because the heat was still rippling the air.
Needless to say, they were down in the same area as our aircraft, which was definitely not on the tourist map.
If everyone keeps building this crap, sooner or later some fool is going to use it. That’s the way things have always been.