tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18027591414595733372024-03-09T06:13:41.258-08:00Gripen for CanadaDoug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-70243650938685943242014-11-24T06:44:00.001-08:002014-11-24T06:44:03.856-08:00Taking a break... For now.
After much thought, I have come to the decision to step away from this blog for the time being.
Given the current state of Canada's fighter selection, and the fact that the Saab Gripen is not even officially being considered at this time, there seems to be little reason for me to continue.
Do not worry; I still believe that the Gripen is the best fighter for Canada, and I will be Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-6490459486571600882014-09-21T19:09:00.002-07:002014-09-21T19:09:59.396-07:00Running out of runway.
Hat tip to Eric Palmer!
Eight-thousand feet.
That is the minimum amount of runway required to safely operate the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) version of the F-35, the F-35A. For training purposes it is preferable for the newbie F-35 pilot to have up to 10,000 feet to allow for a margin of error. This is according to RAAF documents, found here (warning: PDF Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-88043313368895000212014-08-18T07:56:00.001-07:002014-08-18T07:56:18.223-07:00Meteor vs. AMRAAM: Minor upgrade or paradigm shift?
MBDA Meteor
AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM
European nations have been quick to embrace the MBDA Meteor as their preferred BVR A2A missile. Integration testing is underway for the Eurofighter Typhoon and already completed for the Saab Gripen. The Rafale is planned to provisions to carry two Meteors by 2018.
American fighter manufactures do not seem to be as enthusiastic, Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-16686897000412390072014-08-13T19:13:00.001-07:002014-08-13T19:13:12.380-07:00Speculating on the Saab/Boeing T-X
Boeing T-X concept (pre-Saab partnership)
Saab and Boeing dropped a bombshell late last year when they announced that they would be joining forces to submit a bid for the upcoming T-X program. The T-X program intends to replace the venerable T-38 Talon in use by the USAF as a high performance jet trainer.
What will this collaboration look like? Early reports onDoug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-43448236547433010842014-07-28T06:12:00.001-07:002014-07-28T07:49:26.358-07:00Saab bails out of Denmark.
Not going to happen.
Saab has declined to enter a bid in Denmark's recently announced fighter competition to replace its aging F-16 fleet.
"We are grateful for the invitation to tender, but as on all occasions like this, we have undertaken an analysis of the situation and choose not to respond to the invitation,"
Like Canada, Denmark hit the "reset button" on its F-35 purchaseDoug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-52431304863260111652014-07-16T20:18:00.002-07:002014-07-16T20:18:08.256-07:00Saab to LockMart: "U MAD BRO?"
It would seem as though Saab AB is taking advantage of the JSF's no-show appearance at RIAT and Farnborough.
While engine reliability issues grounded the F-35, Saab AB wasted no time reminding everybody about the Gripen's history of trouble-free service combined with lower costs.
While most of these statements did not mention the F-35 by name, it should be very clear what they are Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-78547222789189034502014-07-15T19:29:00.003-07:002014-07-15T19:29:42.556-07:00While the F-35's in omnishambles, others step up.
The F-35's fiberglass stunt double. (Image credit: Erik Gustavsson)
It's official. The F-35 Lightning II will not be making its international debut over Farnborough this week.
This was supposed to be a big month for the Lightning II. Costs are said to be coming down, with further discounts on the way. There is even the possibility of theDoug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-6381348668103629862014-07-14T10:05:00.001-07:002014-07-14T10:05:50.922-07:00What would it take to "Canadianize" the various fighters?
"It's gonna need a built-in beer cooler before it can take off... Eh?"
While it is fun to discuss a fighter's speed, payload, and agility; there are other more mundane issues that need to be looked at.
Before Canada decides on any fighter, it needs to address issues with how that aircraft can fit into the RCAF's current infrastructure, as well as meeting any operational challenges Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-20476263986290940232014-07-08T19:56:00.001-07:002014-07-08T19:56:21.258-07:00Excuses... Excuses...
My house is under the "15:00 Sat/sam." dot.
Sorry for being away for the weekend. Hurricane "Post tropical storm" Arthur paid my family, neighbors, and I a little visit on Saturday, knocking trees and power lines out of the ground, leaving me and my trusty iMac without power for about three-and-a-half days. Thankfully, there was no damage to my house other freezer full Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-64447915709463864712014-07-03T19:53:00.001-07:002014-07-03T19:53:37.180-07:00Range anxiety.
Artist's rendering of F-35Bs operating from HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Remember that F-35B flyby hoped for the HMS Queen Elizabeth's naming ceremony? It is not going to happen. You can thank the JSF's recent history of spontaneous combustion, combined with a 36-hour turnaround time for that. Appearances at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough Air Show are Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-9603125620251566592014-06-30T19:22:00.001-07:002014-06-30T19:22:00.560-07:00Convoy!Take close look at the following:
What you are looking at is 4 F-35Bs, 2 KC-10 Extenders, 1 C-17 Globemaster III, and 1 KC-130 Hercules. All together, you are looking at approximately $1 billion worth of hardware. (Give or take, but I'm being generous here.)
These aircraft you see above will gather soon for a purpose. That purpose: So that theDoug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-81161519088809584772014-06-26T19:45:00.000-07:002014-06-26T19:45:05.721-07:00Reset... Pause... A Call to Arms!
First "Reset" and now "Pause".
Like the Defense Acquisition Guide suggests, it looks like the decision to replace the CF-188 will be put off a little longer. The decision will be put off until at least sometime during the summer, possibly even later.
According to the Globe and Mail:
"Sources say the government feels it’s being rushed and pressured by the Canadian Armed Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-66245133317846562342014-06-17T07:58:00.002-07:002014-06-17T07:58:58.142-07:00Does the Defence Acquisition Guide point to a competition?
The Federal Government unveiled its new "Defence Acquisition Guide" on Monday, portraying a roadmap of Canada's military purchases for the next 20 years or so.
You can find the Defence Acquisition Guide here.
There are a few things in the guide worthy of attention, despite the Federal Government stating that it is "not set in stone".
Under "Future Fighter Capability", we have this:
Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-12820116134348568762014-06-12T15:04:00.000-07:002014-06-12T15:04:03.999-07:00NFPS releases its report: We waited 18 months for this?
Canada's National Fighter Procurement Secretariat (NFPS) released its long anticipated report today outlining there research into the four (formerly five) fighters studied to replace the CF-18 Hornet.
The "public" report is not for public release yet. The NFPS did make a statement, however. You can read the statement here: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-18036096604099133632014-06-12T07:36:00.002-07:002014-06-12T07:36:28.514-07:00Foxtrot Alpha: The Super Hornet is the best fighter for Canada.
There is a very good article over at Foxtrot Alpha stating that the Super Hornet would be the best fighter for Canada right now.
Be sure to check it out here. http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-right-fighter-for-canada-is-the-super-hornet-not-t-1587492909
I'm not convinced, but the author does ask all the right questions and gets all the facts right. I'm not sure if he comes Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-18037907487228320832014-06-06T18:11:00.001-07:002014-06-06T18:11:25.427-07:00Is the saga of Canada's next fighter almost over?
First of all, thanks to all that brought this to my attention... Of course the news broke just as I was watching X-Men: Day of Future Past (great movie, BTW), followed by a short night's sleep, followed by my "day job"... So I haven't been able to comment about it until now.
As most of you know, there are sources stating that the Canadian government will make an announcementDoug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-11585229076889297492014-05-25T10:31:00.000-07:002014-05-25T19:50:06.550-07:00Kirk Webber's fighter comparison
This picture is accurate. The Gripen really is that small and the Super Hornet really is that big!
For those of you out there who like to crunch numbers, here's one for you.
Reader Kirk Webber has compiled this excellent spreadsheet filled with information on modern western fighters that could be potential CF-18 replacements. This information includes information pertaining to Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-17330257232619302382014-05-19T06:39:00.001-07:002014-05-19T06:39:26.348-07:00Saab's sorry saga in Switzerland is settled.
Not gonna happen.
It seems that the long soap opera that was Switzerland's Gripen acquisition has come to a sad end for Saab.
On May 18, 2014, 53% of voters of voters voted "NO" on purchasing the Saab Gripen E... Or any other jet fighter.
So what happened?
Swiss politics.
In December, 2011, the Saab Gripen was selected to replace Switzerland's F-5E Tiger II. The selection Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-73323723528706529272014-05-07T07:29:00.001-07:002014-05-07T07:29:09.849-07:00The Comanche and the Albatross... A voice of reason.
The RAH-66 Comanche
With the all-or-nothing attitude toward the F-35A, combined with the insistence that the A-10 is no longer a useful platform, one wonders if the USAF still has its head on right. Surely, with all the JSF's issues and controversy, not to mention the threat of budget cuts, they would at least be considering a "plan C", wouldn't they?
Well, thankfully for the Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-9508384379161631422014-04-28T10:35:00.000-07:002014-04-28T10:35:43.418-07:00The "Grandfather's Axe" and fighter design.
The familiar Boeing 707
A comment on my last post got me thinking... "Just what constitutes an 'all new' aircraft design?"
When it comes down to it, an aircraft's purpose dictates its shape. Passenger airliners are all designed with efficiency in mind. This leads to the almost identical shape of a long tube for carrying passengers in pressurized comfort, swept Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-5038652607448832432014-04-25T18:46:00.002-07:002014-04-25T18:46:25.393-07:00In praise of the cheap and cheerful.
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
Imagine a military combat aircraft that first flew in 1954 and is still flying today. No, it's not the B-52. This aircraft has played major roles in the air over Vietnam, the Falklands, and the Yom Kippur War. It replaced the F-4 Phantom as the jet of choice for the USN's Blue Angels demonstration team. This aircraft even played a Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-19745410615527527632014-04-17T06:40:00.002-07:002014-04-17T06:40:54.018-07:00What's taking so long?
Not yet ready to fly off into the sunset.
Looks like this blog might be around for a while yet...
By all accounts, it looks like Canada won't able to start receiving new fighter aircraft until 2018 at the earliest. There has been some progress however, as the "secretariat" seems to have finished looking at the CF-35 and its rivals. It is now up to the federal government Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-17600081451322283822014-04-15T06:29:00.001-07:002014-04-15T06:29:13.527-07:00Denmark declares a fighter competition.
The contenders.
The nation of Denmark has now declared a fighter competition to replace its aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons.
Much like Canada, Denmark's government was forced to implement a "reset" thanks to political unsavoriness regarding the F-35. Concerns over high costs, performance, and availability forced the Danes to take a closer look at the alternatives.Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-73124386687692334002014-04-01T10:37:00.000-07:002014-04-01T10:37:10.111-07:00On vacation!
Holiday Ho!
Screw it.
This cold and wet Nova Scotia "spring" has gotten the best of me. Me and the family are taking off somewhere warm and dry.
I'll be back in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, keep an eye on David Pugliese's "Defense Watch"... You never know what might turn up.Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802759141459573337.post-27026514028534924662014-03-31T18:44:00.000-07:002014-03-31T20:05:38.606-07:00RCAF to refurbish (really) old fighters.
Like a phoenix from the ashes...
In a surprise move, the RCAF has released a statement describing a plan to reinvigorate their aging fleet of CF-18 Hornets. With no funding available to purchase new fighters, or anything else for that matter, top generals at the RCAF have decided to refurbish several retired CF-101 Voodoo interceptors.
The choice to refurbish the Voodoo was a Doug Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504832466775445050noreply@blogger.com0