AIR POWER
Comments (9)
Another point is that if this concept becomes a reality, then it's vitally important that the DoD maintains functional fighters, be they stealth or conventional, to escort all these cargo planes with cruise missiles inside.
That is why DoD programs such as the F-18 Block III, F-35, USAF NGAD fighter, and USAF F-15EX are vital to National Security. Even new 4+ Generation fighters are required to escort these cruise missile laden cargo planes. The F-16 Replacement is also vital too because if peer nation war breaks out and cargo planes get stuffed with cruise missiles inside, the DoD better make sure that they fly into battle escorted by fighters that work and can protect these huge lumbering planes. That is why "Don't put all your eggs in one fighter basket" makes sense because if engine malfunction problems grounds the entire F-35 fleet, then at least the F-18s and F-15EXs and F-16 Replacements can get into the air to perform escort duty.
What's old is new again... Dropping palletized weapons from transport planes is nothing new... BLU-82 Daisy Cutters or FAEs dropped from C-130s back in Viet Nam, and I'm sure they predate that...
Former Weekend Warrior at 1:45 PMSeveral suggestions: 1) Load horizontally, it will be easier, quicker and safer for the weapons handlers. 2) Load horizontally, the weapons will expend less fuel than is required to turn horizontally. 3) Load Horizontally, the weapons will get to their target more quickly (see #2). 4) Destroy the weapons box after deploying all missiles, so that the technology does not fall into the hands of the enemy.
Harold Scheffler at 12:50 PMInterested in information you provide.
James M BELL at 11:37 AM
No doubt this abortion of weapons delivery came from the architects of our outstanding Afghanistan withdrawal.
BTW, I flew C-130s…..
Cart before the horse. So the USAF has enough SURPLUS/LOW-TIME airlifters to just loan them out?.... Right!!
R.Lopaka at 6:52 PMSo, in terms of advanced weaponry, China is testing hypersonic missiles while the US is dropping pallets from trash haulers. Wow!
Steve Kratochvil at 12:37 PMCould be worse, they might be launched from a $4 billion submarine.
Taxpayer at 4:08 PM
Some of the old concepts should have been built, such as the 747-800 "Cruise Missile Aircraft Carrier" that can do this on a much larger scale.
Excam at 7:39 PMThe idea of using Cruise Missile pallets inside cargo planes is a good idea, but what the USAF is really saying is that it needs more bombers to drop cruise missiles. Distributed Lethality and spreading out the force with cargo planes will work, but I can't envision these C-130s and C-17s flying on such a mission solo without fighter escorts with a cargo of precious and expensive cruise missiles inside.