April 8th 08, 11:49 PM
posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military.naval
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Navy Struggles With 'Fighter Gap'
Fred J. McCall wrote:
wrote:
:See:
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:http://defensenews.com/story.php?i=3466832&c=FEA&s=CVS
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:What should the Navy do? Buy more F/A-18's? Speed up JSF
 rocurement?
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:Or something else?
:
My personal opinion? Buy more Hornets and cut the F-35C buy in half.
Super Hornets are cheaper than JSF (can probably buy at least 2
Superbugs per JSF), more capable now than F-35C will be when it
fields, and are available NOW. You wind up with equal or greater
capability earlier for less money.
Looking at the difference in price, I'd bet USMC is wishing it had
some replacement alternative for AV-8B other than F-35B. I don't see
how they afford the number of replacement airframes (320) they want
given the price tag of the things. I have to wonder what it would
cost to have Boeing restart the AV-8B production line and start
cranking out updated AV-8's and how much before F-35B they'd be
available.
Ouch. Do you have any idea those things (AV-8B) are to OUR guys?
Dan
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