B2 graciously sends along digital proof that dinosaurs once graced the sky, calculated to set the hearts of Skippy-san and Nose a’flutter, like. Because of the incestuous relationship!!1!
(Click on the pic for higher, if you can bear it.)
Sure is an offensive loadout. Or would be, weren’t it for all those pretty blue bands.
I will leave off, for now, commenting on the oil stains. As I recollect, Tomcat guys considered oil leaks a sign of sound maintenance practices. Meant that they actually, you know: Had some.
You mean the CEO of a major enterprise made a cost/benefit/risk decision without 100% accurate information?
I’ll be damned…
Lex, you seem to be turning into a cynical grumpy old fart like me, though younger, and married.
Please consult The Hobbit immediately to arrange therapy sessions, so as to avoid that fate.
Regards own nose on face.
Rather Lex, a decision was ‘engineered’ – and the basis for that decision never followed up on…much- actually not at all. Variables always get you. That is why you plan to alternate strategies and default to ‘em when the input metrics change….
I ain’t laying it out for Monday morning QBing Lex, or to claim I’m some kind of Naval Avaition Guru or Boyd. Nope, I’m laying it out for the sake of the facts, history and because some folks oughta know.
BTW, CEOs who follow up and correct to course or adapt to a changed battlefield (think Petraeus), more often than not keep the share(stake)holders happiest and the “profits” coming in!
Don’t worry. No one will see this whole entrie except us two old farts, and Snake ,who seems to think we’re fighting somehow. I promise we ain’t, you old tube man- ambulance chaser!
What about that Barbara Eden as Genie, eh?
b2
Ah, Babs Eden…the eternal Vixen…Best
I don’t have a rooting interest and I don’t know anything at all, really, about carrier aviation, big picture or small, but I’ve enjoyed the dialogue. All I know is that I got out of the Navy a while back, went about my business and then looked up one day and saw that everything flying is an F-18 or an H-60. Maybe that’s a good thing, maybe– as Dr. Pangloss would say– its the best of all possible things.
But I doubt it.
Now excuse me, I’ve got to go buy some Old Spice, since Bruce Campbell is hawking it these days. Groovy.
Here you go, SE. Make sure you’re sitting down:
http://graysmatter.codivation.com/content/binary/BarbaraEden.JPG
badbob, so is that what you call loaded for bear?
Si, Senorita!
b2
Lex,
Good point on CEO decision making. Also accurate using the term CEO.
AND, just from the sidelines – seems like you are using the changing geopolitical situation to your advantage (WRT the we have what we have and Hornet fits the Jointness plan nicely). IIRC, wasn’t so back in early 90′s.
Either way, it is a good discussion – one that should have been discussed by others about 30 (?!?) years ago when we were out shopping for new jets.
Bob – you are in the bowels of the beast there. CSA still a viable option? Any discussion at all about tanker, or are you just barking at the wind generators (updated green version)?
Nose
Bowels? You got that right. Specifically, the end of the intestine about to be ejected! Especially if certain folks are reading this stuff on page 2! Just kidding.
To answer your Q- No. Nothing on the horizon.
Perspective: In ’98 CSA was canned (no $$) and the plan was Hawkeye and C-2 because, well, what would a Navy airwing be without an overloaded prop plane? Prowler wanted Growler and that left only the poor S-3 to offer up…No brainer for the Hornet Dictatorship who needed everybody else’s $$$. Hell, in my calculation Naval Aviation got, max, 2.7 extra SuperHornets out of the Viking Sundown deal! Truth.
Only option for TACAIR is to ‘spin’ the capabilities by redefining /de-scoping the missions (in work I’ll wager) and make do with the numbers; OR, buy more SuperHornets to cover more mission areas not covered (ovhd tanking). My problem with that is that basically with a SuperHornet you only get v2/3 ‘s of a an airplane. 1/3 HAS to be a tanker….Bad begets bad.
You see Nose, in acquisition it’s all about getting $$$ on contract. Deliverables? Well those can always be negotiated as to numbers.
In Badbob’s ‘ideation’, (psychotic?) it’s all about the numbers. By numbers I mean numbers of Real Flyable aircraft tested and in production for the USN to operate! You always hear me harping about the numbers..65 aircraft on on CVN designed to handle 115 ain’t right! Where’s the beef?
BTW, on the non-TACAIR side BIG ‘hurdles’ are coming some faster daily. Stay tuned.
IMHO, Naval Aviation is about to reach convergence.
b2