Heatloss
@heatloss.bsky.social
Cold War Air Power and other related topics | Heatloss on most other platforms | Cascadia Resident
@heatloss1986 on the other site
https://linktr.ee/heatlos
@heatloss1986 on the other site
https://linktr.ee/heatlos
While the most important people to contact are members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and house representatives, make sure to only call or email YOUR representatives. Spamming members of congress in districts that you do not belong to will NOT help the cause.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
While the most important people to contact are members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and house representatives, make sure to only call or email YOUR representatives. Spamming members of congress in districts that you do not belong to will NOT help the cause.
The most important point hammered home by representatives was that we cannot afford any more delays if we want to retain an advantage in air power. The Chinese are beginning to deploy stealth fighters and carriers in numbers and are on the verge of carrier-borne stealth fighters.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The most important point hammered home by representatives was that we cannot afford any more delays if we want to retain an advantage in air power. The Chinese are beginning to deploy stealth fighters and carriers in numbers and are on the verge of carrier-borne stealth fighters.
A lack of effective carrier air power also creates a situation where a fleet is unable to effectively project power due to a limited ability to conduct offensive strikes. The Soviet Navy lacked effective carriers and was thus relegated to being primarily a defensive navy.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
A lack of effective carrier air power also creates a situation where a fleet is unable to effectively project power due to a limited ability to conduct offensive strikes. The Soviet Navy lacked effective carriers and was thus relegated to being primarily a defensive navy.
To delay the program for 3y would be a cancellation, and would harm the struggling defense industrial base. One concern may be that it will not be ready for the Davidson Window in 2027, but this assumes that 2027 is a sure thing, and that it will be the only conflict with China.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
To delay the program for 3y would be a cancellation, and would harm the struggling defense industrial base. One concern may be that it will not be ready for the Davidson Window in 2027, but this assumes that 2027 is a sure thing, and that it will be the only conflict with China.
The CNO, on the other hand, was extremely vocal about the importance of the Navy's next jet, calling it the "key to the future of the air wing." This is correct. F/A-XX is a long range platform, capable of fighting deep within hostile airspace.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The CNO, on the other hand, was extremely vocal about the importance of the Navy's next jet, calling it the "key to the future of the air wing." This is correct. F/A-XX is a long range platform, capable of fighting deep within hostile airspace.
Inquiries about F/A-XX were frequent, and in practice, a major focus of this hearing. In short, the SecNav spent most of his time avoiding questions about the status of F/A-XX, like in this clip below.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Inquiries about F/A-XX were frequent, and in practice, a major focus of this hearing. In short, the SecNav spent most of his time avoiding questions about the status of F/A-XX, like in this clip below.
The day of the hearing, news broke that the Office of the Secretary of Defense(OSD) was interested in removing the $500M allocated for F/A-XX in the House Reconciliation Bill. This forced the SecNav and CNO to discuss the status of the program with members of the committee.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The day of the hearing, news broke that the Office of the Secretary of Defense(OSD) was interested in removing the $500M allocated for F/A-XX in the House Reconciliation Bill. This forced the SecNav and CNO to discuss the status of the program with members of the committee.
To explain what is going on behind closed doors to congress, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and the Secretary of the Navy (SecNav) have to report to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The recent oversight hearing from May 14 reveals some conflicting forces.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
To explain what is going on behind closed doors to congress, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and the Secretary of the Navy (SecNav) have to report to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The recent oversight hearing from May 14 reveals some conflicting forces.
The F-35 was designed for four internal AMRAAMs, and two wing mounted AIM-9Xes. In 2019, Lockheed Martin announced the "Sidekick Rack," which would have increased the internal AMRAAM carriage by to six. This has not been tested nor flown in six years since its announcement.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The F-35 was designed for four internal AMRAAMs, and two wing mounted AIM-9Xes. In 2019, Lockheed Martin announced the "Sidekick Rack," which would have increased the internal AMRAAM carriage by to six. This has not been tested nor flown in six years since its announcement.
With new missiles like AIM-174B entering service, limited carriage becomes a problem. The F/A-18 cannot carry more than four AIM-174Bs, and doing so heavily impacts performance. F-35 cannot fit it at all. F/A-XX, meanwhile, will likely carry AIM-174B internally.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
With new missiles like AIM-174B entering service, limited carriage becomes a problem. The F/A-18 cannot carry more than four AIM-174Bs, and doing so heavily impacts performance. F-35 cannot fit it at all. F/A-XX, meanwhile, will likely carry AIM-174B internally.
While an extremely successful multirole, the F-35 is suboptimal in the Air to Air role in some very specific ways. This is the primary reason the USAF pursued their NGAD program to completion. One major public issue with the F-35 is the limited internal bay volume.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
While an extremely successful multirole, the F-35 is suboptimal in the Air to Air role in some very specific ways. This is the primary reason the USAF pursued their NGAD program to completion. One major public issue with the F-35 is the limited internal bay volume.
Joint Strike Fighter, JSF, or F-35 as we know it today, suffers from similar issues to the F/A-18E/F. It was originally envisioned as the low end of a high/low mix, a replacement for F-16, but due to purchase reductions on F-22(and lack of NATF) it is our primary fighter.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Joint Strike Fighter, JSF, or F-35 as we know it today, suffers from similar issues to the F/A-18E/F. It was originally envisioned as the low end of a high/low mix, a replacement for F-16, but due to purchase reductions on F-22(and lack of NATF) it is our primary fighter.
This was a sticking point in congress, as Randall "Duke" Cunningham, a US Naval Aviator and Vietnam War Ace, fought the decision to move to an all F/A-18E/F air wing due to the loss in capabilities. But the budget, as usual, was the most important thing in question.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
This was a sticking point in congress, as Randall "Duke" Cunningham, a US Naval Aviator and Vietnam War Ace, fought the decision to move to an all F/A-18E/F air wing due to the loss in capabilities. But the budget, as usual, was the most important thing in question.
After this, the Navy created a compromise design. The F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet." This platform was chosen as a low-risk, lower capability option that increased munitions carriage and bring-back over the "Legacy Hornet." However, it was more focused on strike than the fighter role.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
After this, the Navy created a compromise design. The F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet." This platform was chosen as a low-risk, lower capability option that increased munitions carriage and bring-back over the "Legacy Hornet." However, it was more focused on strike than the fighter role.
The Navy took an interest in the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter program and created their own version, NATF, to adapt the winner of ATF.
NATF would have replaced the F-14, especially in the interception and offensive counter-air roles. It too was cancelled.
NATF would have replaced the F-14, especially in the interception and offensive counter-air roles. It too was cancelled.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The Navy took an interest in the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter program and created their own version, NATF, to adapt the winner of ATF.
NATF would have replaced the F-14, especially in the interception and offensive counter-air roles. It too was cancelled.
NATF would have replaced the F-14, especially in the interception and offensive counter-air roles. It too was cancelled.
The A-6 was cancelled in favor of the infamous A-12 Avenger. This program would have provided the US with around 860 long-range, two-seat low-observable strike aircraft with large internal weapons bays. The A-12 was cancelled in 1991 after significant program issues.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The A-6 was cancelled in favor of the infamous A-12 Avenger. This program would have provided the US with around 860 long-range, two-seat low-observable strike aircraft with large internal weapons bays. The A-12 was cancelled in 1991 after significant program issues.
In the 1980s, the A-6F was proposed for development. This was to be an updated A-6E including modern avionics, new engines, and AMRAAM. This would have provided the Navy with a relatively low cost program, retaining a two-seat crew with a large payload and good mission systems.
May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
In the 1980s, the A-6F was proposed for development. This was to be an updated A-6E including modern avionics, new engines, and AMRAAM. This would have provided the Navy with a relatively low cost program, retaining a two-seat crew with a large payload and good mission systems.
Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US Navy's ability to conduct air superiority and offensive strikes has been slowly diminishing. Today, we stand at an inflection point, where the F/A-XX program to deliver a new strike fighter to the Navy is in Jeopardy.
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May 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US Navy's ability to conduct air superiority and offensive strikes has been slowly diminishing. Today, we stand at an inflection point, where the F/A-XX program to deliver a new strike fighter to the Navy is in Jeopardy.
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So why did I come to post this? Because I'm mad and I don't know what else to do.
I naively hope that by yelling at a cloud online, I might be able to drum up enough support and attention to get Google to let you default to web answers without having to jump through hoops.
END.
I naively hope that by yelling at a cloud online, I might be able to drum up enough support and attention to get Google to let you default to web answers without having to jump through hoops.
END.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
So why did I come to post this? Because I'm mad and I don't know what else to do.
I naively hope that by yelling at a cloud online, I might be able to drum up enough support and attention to get Google to let you default to web answers without having to jump through hoops.
END.
I naively hope that by yelling at a cloud online, I might be able to drum up enough support and attention to get Google to let you default to web answers without having to jump through hoops.
END.
And I'm sure the answer I will be provided with is "switch search engines!" And to be honest, I've tried.
I've tried DuckDuckGo, I've tried Brave, I've tried anything and everything. And they're all worse. Some have more AI, some simply don't give me useful results, and worse.
I've tried DuckDuckGo, I've tried Brave, I've tried anything and everything. And they're all worse. Some have more AI, some simply don't give me useful results, and worse.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
And I'm sure the answer I will be provided with is "switch search engines!" And to be honest, I've tried.
I've tried DuckDuckGo, I've tried Brave, I've tried anything and everything. And they're all worse. Some have more AI, some simply don't give me useful results, and worse.
I've tried DuckDuckGo, I've tried Brave, I've tried anything and everything. And they're all worse. Some have more AI, some simply don't give me useful results, and worse.
But what really grinds my gears is that this is an insult to my time and intelligence.
This is a feature that I cannot turn off. And not only that, Google is actively trying to shut down programs, add-ons, and workarounds that disable the feature in search.
This is a feature that I cannot turn off. And not only that, Google is actively trying to shut down programs, add-ons, and workarounds that disable the feature in search.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
But what really grinds my gears is that this is an insult to my time and intelligence.
This is a feature that I cannot turn off. And not only that, Google is actively trying to shut down programs, add-ons, and workarounds that disable the feature in search.
This is a feature that I cannot turn off. And not only that, Google is actively trying to shut down programs, add-ons, and workarounds that disable the feature in search.
Through doing the "old school" method of opening a bunch of tabs of the top search results, I found out that my answer is that GE will not tell us an exact figure. Which is understandable, given that the F414 is also used in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Through doing the "old school" method of opening a bunch of tabs of the top search results, I found out that my answer is that GE will not tell us an exact figure. Which is understandable, given that the F414 is also used in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
To get an answer, I have to put F414 AND specific thrust into quotation marks. I want exact word matches.
The AI Overview? Once again, useless. Answering a question I did not ask.
The AI Overview? Once again, useless. Answering a question I did not ask.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
To get an answer, I have to put F414 AND specific thrust into quotation marks. I want exact word matches.
The AI Overview? Once again, useless. Answering a question I did not ask.
The AI Overview? Once again, useless. Answering a question I did not ask.
What the results show are e the AI Overview. I can scroll past it to get my results, right?
WRONG.
What the results show are related to what the AI has decided I am searching for. It gives me answers related to total thrust and specific fuel consumption.
WRONG.
What the results show are related to what the AI has decided I am searching for. It gives me answers related to total thrust and specific fuel consumption.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
What the results show are e the AI Overview. I can scroll past it to get my results, right?
WRONG.
What the results show are related to what the AI has decided I am searching for. It gives me answers related to total thrust and specific fuel consumption.
WRONG.
What the results show are related to what the AI has decided I am searching for. It gives me answers related to total thrust and specific fuel consumption.
So, according to my decades of experience with search engines, I typed in "F414 specific thrust."
What I got was the first image, an AI overview that was completely unrelated. Total thrust is a wholly different figure from specific thrust.
What I got was the first image, an AI overview that was completely unrelated. Total thrust is a wholly different figure from specific thrust.
April 16, 2025 at 2:09 AM
So, according to my decades of experience with search engines, I typed in "F414 specific thrust."
What I got was the first image, an AI overview that was completely unrelated. Total thrust is a wholly different figure from specific thrust.
What I got was the first image, an AI overview that was completely unrelated. Total thrust is a wholly different figure from specific thrust.