B2

@HungCao_VA That is so cool. POTUS needs to nominate you for SecNav.

@AlexHollings52 Well deserved. Good luck!

I am really proud to report that I’ve been nominated for two Aerospace Media Awards this year: one for my interview with Dr. Cheryl Xu about her efforts to develop ceramic radar absorbent coatings. And the second is for Aerospace Content Creator of the year!

@MCCCANM What an honor. There were only two other three kill pilots in the Post Vietnam era. One was a 1st LT. The other shot down three J-21s in a single mission over Yugoslavia in an F-16. The only other double MiG-29 killer is Jeff Hwang. Last I heard he was an FO for Alaska Airlines.

Almost 01:00 in Reston, VA. Get in elevator, hold it for a group. One asks if I’m a pilot. They tell me a guy w/ them flew F-15s. Introduces himself as “Rico” Rodriguez. I don’t know him, we ride a few floors chatting & I get off. Small world. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Rod…

@TomcatJunkie @SECNAV @SecWar @WhiteHouse First show me how you can get range, endurance, payload, and mass from carrier air. Then we can have that discussion.

I hope that our leadership is having a serious discussion around the survivability of a fixed base versus a mobile carrier battle group. @SECNAV @SecWar @WhiteHouse

@RAeSTimR Have you ever watched Battlestar Gallatica?

Is there potential for a 'Carrier strike group' for space, to project power? Or a space AWACs satellite for situational awareness? Thought-provoking questions from this DefenceSummit panel.

@ByChrisGordon @GuyPlopsky I was thinking it might be greater than 26. I’m guessing air defense vs Iran was challenging with only a handful of E-3s deployed. Lot of gaps in coverage.

The Air Force has now committed to funding the E-7 Wedgetail in its fiscal 2027 and 2028 budgets and beyond after previously trying to cancel additional funding for the program. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Chairman of House Appropriations Committee, told me late last week he expected appropriators to be “supportive” of the Pentagon’s decision. But unknowns remain. Not yet clear is how many E-7s the Air Force ultimately aims to buy. The final number could be short of the original plan for 26. “It’s going to take a while to get the number of E-7s that we need and the capability that we need, and that’s multiple budget cycles,” Cole said. “There’s a lot at stake here.” W/ @StephenLosey airandspaceforces.com/air-force-aski…

@Lazarus_Navy Unfortunately, carrier aviation lacks mass and range. Regarding the destruction of the E-3. Why didn't they disperse to other airfields? I really wonder whether the Saudis didn't give permission, intending to localize attacks at one location?

Yet another reason to rely on carrier-based aviation; the most secure airfields on the planet.

@cdrsalamander At what point will Sal conclude the BBGN is going to be a disaster for shipbuilding and force design? What we are going to end with when the dust settles is a stretched Frankenstein Burke Flight IV and not DDG(X).

DDG(X). Dead or in a medically induced coma? open.substack.com/pub/cdrsalaman…

@ValkStrategy @aniemyer Most demos are single ship, esp the AF. Let the jet speak on its own. Safer, especially for pilots whose main job is not aerial demonstration. But if the jet lacks in the demo department maybe there is pressure to do something special?

@aniemyer Generally agree. But it's worth making the point that nobody (except possibly Sir James) is likely to emerge clean from the MB, starting with whoever decided that a high-demand force needed a demo team.

I’m will follow my usual rule & not comment, bloviate, or try to monetize the Growler mid-air that happened today. Four people are going home to their families tonight, that’s what’s really important. The Mishap Board (all that really counts) will figure it out. Won’t be pretty

@thestinkeye What was the maneuver were they trying to replicate?

Their rate of closure appears to have been very low, and when the one aircraft "landed" atop the other, it is my working theory that the feedback loop on the lower aircraft's fly-by-wire flight control system (FCS) was not seeing the proper pitch response for the control surface input it was generating due to the other jet on its back and it increased the control surface input until it flipped both jets up (the jet on top had a similar problem because it's FCS was not seeing the proper pitch response in the opposite direction and increased flight control input in the opposite direction "sticking" it to the bottom aircraft). The combination appears to have resulted in a severe nose-high-attitude for both aircraft that departed controlled flight and ultimately assumed a nose-down pitch before both sets of aircrew ejected.

@Aviation_Intel I guess no more Growler demos. Leave the demos to the AF F-22, F-16, and F-35.

EA-18G Growler is out of production.

@sturling__ @grok @SarahAllisonFl Genocidal maniacs with that name?

@grok @SarahAllisonFl History? Such as? Grok can you elaborate in a 250 word essay

Hey @grok, what does the last name 'Almasri' mean? Keep the answer super short.

@Aviation_Intel Are they going back to white for the missile body like earlier AIM-7/9s? Or is this for enhanced visibility for testing?

Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Finally Breaks Cover The AIM-260 has been in development for years as a much-needed longer-range successor to the venerable AIM-120 AMRAAM. twz.com/air/secretive-…

@PatrickSchuess1 @LegasovAnalytic In a short war mission kills are just as good. Depending on what is hit, an inexpensive munition might put out a surface combatant for longer. How many spare SPY-6s do we have? This is one of the known unknowns. How much battle damage can modern warships sustain?

@LegasovAnalytic @Shinno_Dad 1: We have not designed a successful new surface combatant since the mid 80s. 2: No gun would be beyond stupid. We need more, not less, for counter drone use. 3: A hypersonic missile is equivalent to a 16" shell, no destroyer can survive such a hit.

That would explain the three year gap between CVN orders. They’re going to cannibalize part of the nuclear supply base for the Battleship. The result is we are probably going to see large delays for both. The Fords already steal part from each other to stay operational which is why JFK is commissioning behind schedule. Throw in the Battleship and it’s only going to get worse.

@kevinmillerauth @Supersonic_Red I hope you mean the naming of CVN-82/83. I have no problem naming CVNs after great president but I’d rather see another Nimitz, Midway, Hornet, or Yorktown.

@Supersonic_Red Won’t happen.

Naming aircraft carriers used to be about honoring warriors, battles, statesmen and presidents people could rally behind. Now somewhere there’s going to be a 19 year old sailor painting over “NO MONICA STORAGE” in the berthing compartment at 0200 while the Chief pretends not to see it. The Navy cannot possibly be surprised by what’s coming.🙃

@frisbee_driver @Aviation_Intel That’s how much E-7s they want to buy.

@Shinno_Dad @Aviation_Intel Not sure how you came up with 26. When i was flying E-3, we had 31 E-3s. 25 at Tinker, 4 in PACAF, 1 test aircraft and one that crashed. The 30 remaining was thought to be too few back then. The real need is probably closer to 40 than the mid 20s

Pentagon’s Mindset On E-7 Radar Aircraft It Tried To Axe Has Completely Changed: Hegseth E-7s to replace the Air Force's dwindling and aging fleet of E-3s are even more sorely needed now after one of the latter was lost to an Iranian attack. twz.com/air/pentagons-…

@LegasovAnalytic You would need to hurry up on the Peleliu. It’s pier side being prepped to be sunk at this year’s RIMPAC.

The Tarawa Class LHA: With the first commissioned in 1976 a total of 5 would be built through 1989 with all being retired by 2015. During the time they were the premier amphibious asset moving up to a battalion marines, up to 35 aircraft (Cobras, Harriers, SeaStallions, Huey’s, and Ospreys), and a well deck that could transport a combination of LCUs, LCACs, LCMs, or AAVs. All five of the class have been retired with one, USS Peleliu, still retained in the inactive reserve with the rest scrapped for sunk during various exercises as part of SINKEX. The Tarawa Class LHAs were replaced by the America LHAs and the Wasp LHDs. So what would be the cost for reactivating USS Peleliu: - Costs exceed $1 billion with most money expected to be used to correct damaged and wear from a decade of tropical exposure and to restore her steam plant. - The personnel needed to maintain and run her steam boilers are either undermanned within the Navy and almost non-existent on the civilian side. Final Grade: F

Let’s talk the US Navy Ghost Fleet: Part 2 In this segment we will talk about what it would take to reactivate the retired Amphibious fleet for the US Marine Corps. I will give the pros, cons, cost, and finally a grade from F (better off scrapped) to A (reactivate today). We will start with the USN side of the house and then move to MARAD. #LHD #LHA #LSD #usmarines #USNavy #ships #ghostfleet

@thomasbsauer While we are at it Trump should request funding CVN-82/83 and name them after something other than Bush and Clinton. Preferably a traditional carrier name like Midway, Coral Sea, Hornet, Yorktown?

This is the proper name for a destroyer or a frigate, which are named for military heroes (like Miller), naval leaders, or naval pioneers. Aircraft carriers are named for presidents and high profile Navy champions. I’m all for naming a ship after Miller, but can we please get back to standardized ship names?

@hugodeboss1 @Aviation_Intel Space for more battle managers and head room for other sensors would be great.

@Aviation_Intel Using a 737 platform just makes no sense to me. The range and time on station is like a fraction of what the 707 could do and a 767/777 would do. Terminally tanker dependent