The plan for the future of the Air Force: A-10s until 2030, F-35s en masse (with a capture)
The plan for the future of the Air Force: A-10s until 2030, F-35s en masse (with a capture)
Does the Pentagon plan to renew the F-15E, F-16 and F-18 in case the F-35 does not work as planned?
According to an analysis by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), that could be part of the impetus behind the Pentagon's long-term plan for US air power. UU
Each year, the Department of Defense launches a thirty-year plan that describes its vision for the future course of US air power. In general, it is a vague document.
But not this time. "The most recent 30-year aviation plan launched in April 2018 is full of details about specific programs, including cancellations, extensions of life and new beginnings," writes Congress Research Service Analyst Jeremiah Gertler. "Some are explicit, others are between the lines".
Gertler distinguishes some patterns in the air power plan, particularly with respect to the F-35. It signals the Air Force's intention to extend the life of the F-15E strike aircraft Strike Eagle, as well as the F-16 fighter aircraft, even though the F-15C air superiority fighter is being withdrawn.
"What do the F-15E and the F-16 have in common?" Ask Gertler. "Both are scheduled to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II, this new plan can show the Air Force's coverage in case the F-35s do not arrive as fast as expected and, therefore, have to extend the existing frameworks to fill the gap, the target amount of F-35 has not changed, the Air Force still expects to buy 1763. But in case they do not arrive as fast as anticipated, the Air Force seeks to update its oldest aircraft. " .
In addition, the A-10 Warthog will continue flying until the 2030s, which again leads Gertler to suspect that the Air Force is covering its bets against delays in the F-35 program. Similarly, the plan also requires the Navy to extend the life of its Super Hornets F-18, although older F-18A-D models will be withdrawn. This suggests that the Navy is preparing for more F-35 problems.
Gertler finds even more signs in the air power plan of interesting things to come:
A concept of sixth generation hunting next year. The Navy and the Air Force hope to trace the parameters of their sixth generation fighter in 2019. "Although this system is probably decades away in terms of full rate production, it is a program in which people have been doing many activities conceptual, thinking, and the Navy is saying that within the next year, that thought is done, "writes Gertler. "The real proposals may be the next step."
More tanker trucks KC-46. The Air Force wants more than the projected 179 KC-46 Pegasus. "In this plan, the Air Force reveals a conclusion that the existing program is not enough, announcing the intention to buy more KC-46s than planned and continue updating the existing KC-135s," says Gertler. "The previous intention was to withdraw the KC-135, but now the Air Force seeks to make them last longer."
There is no new long-range oil tanker. The aviation plan also revealed that the KC-46 will replace the KC-10 tankers, which Gertler takes as evidence that the Air Force is abandoning plans for a new long-range tanker. "When the Air Force began to modernize the tankers, it announced three programs," explains Gertler. "The first, called KC-X, was a competition between Airbus and Boeing to provide 179 tanks to replace the KC-135. One tracking program, called KC-Y, was primarily intended to buy another 179 of any tank that won KC. - X. A third program, called KC-Z, would have built a new, larger tanker from scratch to replace the fifty-nine KC-10.This new plan implies that the KC-Z program has disappeared. an active and growing program, but now it seems that the future of the program is more promising than originally anticipated. "
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The AWACS will continue to fly. Plans to remove seven airborne control aircraft E-3 Sentry will be archived. The Air Force will also continue flying its C-130, but it will not acquire more C-130J. The Navy also intends to buy a few C-130s.
A new VIP transport. "Another unexpected initiative is the intention of the Air Force to replace its handful of VIP C-32 transports, based on the Boeing 757," writes Gertler. "Since the 757 has been out of production for 14 years, a new airplane is expected to meet this requirement."
More Poseidons. Interestingly, in the face of increased tensions with Russia and China, the Navy insinuates that it can buy P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft: "Given the recent geopolitical changes, it is possible that additional aircraft will be needed," says the aviation plan.
A new coach of the Navy. "Another new start-up program that was not in the previous service budgets, but was announced in the 30-year plan: to replace the Navy's T-44 fleet used for training, based on the civilian Beechcraft King Air", writes Gertler. "The army intends to do something similar."
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SOURCE LINK ERESVIRAL.COM https://www.beviral.online
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