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warpedskydiver

Obama's spending and the National Debt

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UAVs moving from recon + ground attack to aerial interception is a big marketing hurdle but reasonable technically.



You think we have fully automated UAV's capable of aerial intercepts and fights?



I'm an engineer. I know other engineers. I know we could build one.

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So? Does that make it ok to quadrouple the deficit in one year?



First off, the debt hasn't quadrupled - it hit a trillion this month in a year that ends in October. But that's rather irrelevant - either we need this spending to recover, or we don't. The real concern is what about 2 years from now.



I said deficit, not debt. The deficit has quadroupled. .



By what factor did the deficit increase in the first year of G.W. Bush's presidency?
If you can't fix it with a hammer, the problem's electrical.

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yeah, both sides should be tossed out on their ass. clinton did a good job gettin the budget under control, after reagan got the military built and the russian wall down. clinton had no war to fight, an unstoppable economy, with the internet boom.

both bush terms were heavy spender. his 1st term was 9/11 wrecked economy, he pumped in cash for that + war in Iraq and afghan.

economy has been out of control spending on credit since last couple years of clinton and all of bush. our country should have its cards cut.

bush spending on war and keeping fake economy afloat.
obama spending on his govt projects. primarily medical coverage for everyone.$$$ we dont have. not gonna work.

we will be too far in debt soon. OUR fault. dems and repubs whiney finger pointers, need to figure out how to fix our economy, not how to get re-elected.
Born ok 1st time.

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> UAV's are recon assets . . . .

So they are not equipped to fire missiles? You should read up on them! They can do far more than you think they can. And they're cheaper, can loiter longer, turn harder and operate out of more places than manned aircraft can.



When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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> UAV's are recon assets . . . .

So they are not equipped to fire missiles? You should read up on them! They can do far more than you think they can. And they're cheaper, can loiter longer, turn harder and operate out of more places than manned aircraft can.



When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



While a 200-kt drone isn't going to do anything, a Mach 4 one which doesn't have to loiter or travel far to its target can.

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> UAV's are recon assets . . . .

So they are not equipped to fire missiles? You should read up on them! They can do far more than you think they can. And they're cheaper, can loiter longer, turn harder and operate out of more places than manned aircraft can.



When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



It could do it by launching a missile that flies at higher speeds.

SAM sites have intercepted warplanes before, and they don't move at all.
-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

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It could do it by launching a missile that flies at higher speeds.



Agree - assuming it can get within RANGE to fire that missile in the first place, which was my point.

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SAM sites have intercepted warplanes before, and they don't move at all.



Those intercepts also happened because the warplane HAD to fly within range of the SAM site - a criterion that may not apply for a Predator intercept.
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.

Defending America is much easier than defending one's country in Europe. That nice terrain there is why they kept invading each other - esp the poor chaps in Belgium and Poland. We have two massive oceans and friendly Canucks to the north.

If we only wanted to protect ourselves rather than project force around the globe, we could do it for dirt cheap.

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When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.



Airborne tankers and drop tanks on warplanes are hardly new things.
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.



Perhaps from aircraft carriers? Once someone hostile gets around to building one. So I guess some anti-ship cruise missiles would be a good idea. Maybe some unmanned submersibles, too.

Our military is appropriate for a global empire. Personally, I'd rather live in a Republic than an Empire.
-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

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When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.



Airborne tankers and drop tanks on warplanes are hardly new things.



But it won't be going Mach 3 when refuleing, and if its range is poor the tanker will be well in range of the enemy.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.



Airborne tankers and drop tanks on warplanes are hardly new things.



Where did we fly our fighters from during our wars against Iraq? Florida? Nope.

Drop tanks extend range quite little. Tankers are sitting ducks. Aircraft carriers cost a lot of money - few nations spend the amount necessary to have them...and they're still giant sitting ducks, but now they're billion dollar targets.

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>When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much
>less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.

The UAV fire an air to air missile at the target. That's how most air combat works nowadays.

When _you_ figure out how your mach-3 warplane will dodge a mach-3.5 missile, let me know.

(And if you think UAV's are all slow, check this out.)

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When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.



Airborne tankers and drop tanks on warplanes are hardly new things.



But it won't be going Mach 3 when refuleing, and if its range is poor the tanker will be well in range of the enemy.



The tanker is faster than the drone at refueling speed for the 'heavies', much less fighters - the drone isn't going to catch the tanker to fire the missile. As for range, the Mig 29 has a 1500 km range at altitude, compared to 2000 km for the Mig 33, F16 and F18. (ranges minus drop tanks).

The drone is still too slow and not maneuverable enough to intercept or dogfight warplanes. Future models *MAY* be able to reduce that performance gap, but it is by no means assured. Also, once you close that perfomance gap, the drone now has the same 'disadvantage' as the warplane - short legs and endurance problems.
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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>When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much
>less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.

The UAV fire an air to air missile at the target. That's how most air combat works nowadays.



Wonderful - how's it going to get into RANGE???

When _you_ figure out how your mach-3 warplane will dodge a mach-3.5 missile, let me know.



The same way it does now...maneuver and countermeasures.

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(And if you think UAV's are all slow, check this out.)



Outstanding - tell me again how many combat kills the SR71 had, Bill?
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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>Wonderful - how's it going to get into RANGE???

It doesn't have to. UAV's patrol the coast. When radar detects incoming aircraft, the UAV only has to get to within 120 miles of the enemy aircraft before launching its missiles.

The days of having to "get on an enemy's tail" and shoot inert projectiles at it are past.

>Outstanding - tell me again how many combat kills the SR71 had, Bill?

The same number the manned mach-2 F-22 warplane has!

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When you figure out how a 200-kt drone is going to intercept, much less dogfight a Mach 3 warplane, let me know.



Where are these Mach 3 planes coming from? They have terribly range.



Airborne tankers and drop tanks on warplanes are hardly new things.



But it won't be going Mach 3 when refuleing, and if its range is poor the tanker will be well in range of the enemy.



The tanker is faster than the drone at refueling speed for the 'heavies', much less fighters



But STILL not Mach 3, or anywhere close.

Besides, where are these Mach 3 warplanes of which you write?

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- the drone isn't going to catch the tanker to fire the missile. As for range, the Mig 29 has a 1500 km range at altitude, compared to 2000 km for the Mig 33, F16 and F18. (ranges minus drop tanks).




It doesn't have to, the supposed enemy is coming to it.

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The drone is still too slow and not maneuverable enough to intercept or dogfight warplanes.



Ever hear of missiles?

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Future models *MAY* be able t]o reduce that performance gap, but it is by no means assured. Also, once you close that perfomance gap, the drone now has the same 'disadvantage' as the warplane - short legs and endurance problems.



The drone doesn't have to carry life support systems and associated overhead. The properly engineered drone will always outperform the manned aircraft.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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>Wonderful - how's it going to get into RANGE???

It doesn't have to. UAV's patrol the coast. When radar detects incoming aircraft, the UAV only has to get to within 120 miles of the enemy aircraft before launching its missiles.



Uh-huh. I see... you were talking about some mythical UAV that doesn't exist shooting a missile that doesn't exist.

In that case, why stop there? Let's pretend we've got a drone that can supercruise using 2 gallons of jet fuel per hour, can pull a 12g, 500ft circle turn at 600kias, and armed with missiles that have a 1000 mile range and only weigh 20 pounds each?

I mean, if you're gonna pile on the bullshit, then let's REALLY do it right!

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The days of having to "get on an enemy's tail" and shoot inert projectiles at it are past.



Speaking of strawmen... show me where I said that.

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>Outstanding - tell me again how many combat kills the SR71 had, Bill?

The same number the manned mach-2 F-22 warplane has!



Nice tapdance, but about what I expected from you.
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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The tanker is faster than the drone at refueling speed for the 'heavies', much less fighters



But STILL not Mach 3, or anywhere close.



So what? How is the drone going to get close enough to fire, when everything can outrun it?

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Besides, where are these Mach 3 warplanes of which you write?[\reply]

Ever hear of the Foxbat, Professor?

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- the drone isn't going to catch the tanker to fire the missile. As for range, the Mig 29 has a 1500 km range at altitude, compared to 2000 km for the Mig 33, F16 and F18. (ranges minus drop tanks).



It doesn't have to, the supposed enemy is coming to it.



Refuelling would be done in a safe area BEFORE the combat insertion by the fighter.



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The drone is still too slow and not maneuverable enough to intercept or dogfight warplanes.



Ever hear of missiles?



Ever hear of maximum range?

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Future models *MAY* be able to reduce that performance gap, but it is by no means assured. Also, once you close that perfomance gap, the drone now has the same 'disadvantage' as the warplane - short legs and endurance problems.



The drone doesn't have to carry life support systems and associated overhead. The properly engineered drone will always outperform the manned aircraft.



In the future...perhaps.
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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The tanker is faster than the drone at refueling speed for the 'heavies', much less fighters



But STILL not Mach 3, or anywhere close.



So what? How is the drone going to get close enough to fire, when everything can outrun it?

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Besides, where are these Mach 3 warplanes of which you write?[\reply]

Ever hear of the Foxbat, Professor?

.



What is the Foxbat's range at Mach 3?

It is heavy, made of stainless steel, highly UNmaneuverable and a sitting duck for missiles.

Next?
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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I know three different guys working as contractors in Iraq, and all of them make more than 100k dollars per year.



Yep. Of the friends I have who have worked privately in Iraq, salaries seemed to _start_ there. Sadly, one didn't come back.



When the Army's Human Terrain System converted what were previously very high-payed contractor positions (some over $300K/year, most around $200K/year) to federal civilians (less than $100K/year) an estimated 1/3 quit.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

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One of the reasons that I attribute (others have too, not trying to assert it’s a purely novel idea on my part) to the apparent difference in defense budgets between the US and other countries is purely domestic politics. There are other reasons too, which others have noted explictly [e.g., nanook's posts in this thread] … but this is one that I don’t think gets enough attention.

From the early 1980s through mid-2000s, there was a domestic inclination to cut government size. Or cut apparent size of the federal government, e.g., no increases in federal civilians with a shift to increased reliance on contractors.

At the same time the only budget that was politically palatable to increase was the Defense Budget. One of the unintended consequences is that the Defense Department now gets ‘stuck’ being the effective lead for things that they don’t want or is only marginally in their mission area.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

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