RE: B-29... good investment or waste of money?

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RE: B-29... good investment or waste of money?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> RE: B-29... good investment or waste of money?

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RE: B-29... good investment or waste of money? - 4/17/2010 1:51:45 AM

sfbaytf

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While on the topic, there were numerous reports the Air Force didn't embrace the UAV concept and a year or so ago Secretary Gates was quoted as saying "getting them to deploy more drones to Afghanstan was like pulling teeth". Things probably have changed-with a little gentle prooding from Secretary of Defense Gates.

Personally I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to send the A-10's to the Army and let them work in close coordination with the Apaches and other rotary wing assets, same with UAV assets and let the Air Force concentrate on what it wants to do-mainly air superiority, interdiction as well as strategic and operational level bombing.

That's just my .02 cents. I'm sure there are other with more knowledge and experience who know more than me and have other ideas.

(in reply to bklooste)

Post #: 91

RE: B-29... good investment or waste of money? - 4/17/2010 5:50:28 PM

usersatch

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My dad was a USMC F4 pilot in Vietnam. He was required to serve some time as a ground FAC so he could get better CAS skills as a pilot. He wholeheartedly embraced the idea of organic support. He saw many times the lack of effective communication between Army and Air Force. A lot of times we (Ranger Rgt) got support from TF160, but they don't have the fixed wing assets that the Air Force has. But, I did notice a big difference in communication and trust between them and the zoomies.

Even though the Air Force hates CAS, I could see them seriously groaning about having to give it up to the Army. If I recall, there was a big push back in the 80s to have the Apaches attached to the Air Force instead of the Army. Is that true?

I would love to see the A-10 and a large UAV fleet assigned to the Army, but if it was going to happen, it probably would have happened by now. Unfortunately. I think TF 160 could serve as the model for integrating fixed wing Army aviation.

(in reply to sfbaytf)

Post #: 92

RE: B-29... good investment or waste of money? - 4/17/2010 6:48:49 PM

sfbaytf

Posts: 1122
Joined: 4/13/2005
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Only an act of congress would force the Air Force to give up its ground support role to the Army. That would probably be a fierce political battle. Its all about the budgets and defense dollars. Don't see that happening anytime soon.

In the past some have proposed getting rid of the duplication and have all services do common basic training and things like flight training at one or 2 facilities to get rid of the ingrained institutionalism and instill a greater sense of working together. i don't see that happening either.

The law enacted by Congress back in 1947 is an interesting one. Had the Air Force realized what rotary wing aviation would eventually become, they probably would have lobbied to ban the Army from having rotary wing assets from the get go. Back then helicopters were a curiosity. Who knows the newly formed Air Force probably believed they would just be used as a taxi service for generals.

Mabye the Army needs to look at the Osprey. They could argue its a rotary wing asset. They could then load it up with weapons.

I never heard of push to have the Air Force acquire the Apaches in the 80's, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

< Message edited by sfbaytf -- 4/17/2010 6:50:37 PM >

(in reply to usersatch)

Post #: 93