-Caveat Lector-
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 01:14:31 -0400
From: Billy Beck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: (topical?) Flight Journal August 1999
The August 1999 issue of Flight Journal magazine has two
very interesting articles, one of which bears fairly directly on
the matter of US-Russian relations, and the other somewhat less
so, depending.
A story beginning on page 32 ("Russian Fighters For The
USAF/USN?") makes a considerable case for the idea of buying
SU-27 fighters from Russia as replacements become necessary for
US Navy F-14 Tomcats (which are nearing the limits of service
life) and USAF F-15 Eagles (also approaching obsolescence, but
not quite as quickly). The article points out that the F/A-18
currently in service isn't adequate to the interdiction mission
which has been assumed by the F-14 ("Bombcat") in addition to the
fleet-defense role, and that the (USAF) F-22 is years away from
operational status at horrendous costs. By comparison, the SU-27
is a proven design - already set up for fleet operations - of
superior ability readily available at market for US specified
missions, preferably as bare airframes to be mated with US
engines and/or avionics. This aircraft could be had for a
comparative song, and the world political implications could be
something , although they're only hinted at in this article.
As I said; a very interesting idea.
A "Forum" piece beginning at page 102 ("The Immutable
Laws Of Physics") examines the F-117 shootdown over Yugoslavia,
reviewing from perspective of a previous article (December) which
argued that *no* airborne platform is invisible to radar, and
that "stealth" technology merely decreases detection range.
Admitting a controversial stand, the article proceeds to
conjecture that the F-117 was likely shot down by an SA-6 SAM,
followed with a brief explanation. This article is only about a
thousand words, and fairly technically dry, but two items stand
out: 1) that the Yugos "have had some help from their Russian
mentors", a prospect that immediately strikes *me* with more than
face-value as I contemplate the Russian presence at Pristina
airport; 2) a point on stealth technology that bears emphasis:
that "One cannot expect graceful [control] degradation from a
flying computer that is essentially unstable about all three
axes. Therefore, even with its quad-redundant flight control
systems, if an F-117A is struck by almost anything thrown at it
from the ground, we should expect a mission abort or an aircraft
loss." The article develops the latter point somewhat in a later
paragraph, and it occurs to me that people like those currently
in command of US armed forces can hardly be expected to grasp
some of the pressing strategic and tactical implications.
Both articles are authored by Robert Kress and Rear Adm.
Paul T. Gillcrist, U.S. Navy (Ret.). Kress is a retired design
engineer of twenty years' experience at Grumman, ranging from
Korean War vintage jet aircraft to leadership engineering
responsibilities on the Lunar Module and F-14 Tomcat. Gillcrist
is a veteran of thirty-three years of US Navy tactical aviation,
including test-pilot work at the Naval Test Center, Patuxent
River, Maryland and combat in Korea and Vietnam. They've written
two articles of at least tertiary interest to some of the
business of this group.
Billy
VRWC Fronteer
http://www.mindspring.com/~wjb3/promise.html
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The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day.
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