Congress to Air Force: Build more F-22s! Also Faster Carriers.

[Theodarzna]

Better robbed than dead. I really can't see how endless regional wars being better than paying "tax" to the US.

Like all things in life, it's a trade off.

I would contest that we have a great many regional wars, we had a difficulty for American companies to easily hold power and small skirmishes.

We had two major World Wars in the 20th century.

[SodiumChloride]

I would contest that we have a great many regional wars, we had a difficulty for American companies to easily hold power and small skirmishes.

We had two major World Wars in the 20th century.

The 2 major world wars would not have happened if the British Empire continued to be the dominant world power.

This is the endless wars for domination that I'm talking about.

For most of the 19th century the British were unravelled. Things were relatively peaceful.

When they weaken ...

No one wants a repeat of that. Wars suck balls.

[Theodarzna]

The 2 major world wars would not have happened if the British Empire continued to be the dominant world power.

This is the endless wars for domination that I'm talking about.

For most of the 19th century the British were unravelled. Things were relatively peaceful.

When they weaken ...

No one wants a repeat of that. Wars suck balls.

Peace for whom?

[SodiumChloride]

Peace for whom?

Peace as in relatively few wars fucking up people's lives.

[Kellhound]

isnt the 35 a VTOL that was in that awful Die Hard movie with the hacker? That type of plane have been shit since the Harrier. Why would they build another one?

Because a mediocre VTOL jet is still far better than no jet at all. The Falklands are proof of that.

[Theodarzna]

Peace as in relatively few wars fucking up people's lives.

That must not apply to the continents of Africa, Asia and South America. I guess peace for 2.5 out of 5 is "global?"

[Deleted]

Because a mediocre VTOL jet is still far better than no jet at all. The Falklands are proof of that.

You calling the Harrier mediocre? I'd consider it an exceptional feet of engineering.

[SodiumChloride]

That must not apply to the continents of Africa, Asia and South America. I guess peace for 2.5 out of 5 is "global?"

No wars? Not as long as humans exist.

But we do have fewer wars under Pax Britannica and Pax Americana - you might have notice my use of the word "relative". I will take any reduction in the number of wars, we can get.

[Kellhound]

You calling the Harrier mediocre? I'd consider it an exceptional feet of engineering.

It is mediocre in performance, range, payload as compared to contemporary conventional aircraft. It is also a very dangerous aircraft to fly. It is vastly superior to the Soviet's pathetic response, the YAK-38.

[Theodarzna]

No wars? Not as long as humans exist.

But we do have fewer wars under Pax Britannica and Pax Americana. I will take any reduction in the number of wars, we can get.

A reduction of wars in certain areas. Of course the use of violence, terror, dispossession, and cruelty remains, perhaps since we don't call it war it becomes not war and thus good.

So yes, under grave tyranny we have a kind of peace. Which is what the quote of Calgacus was about

[SodiumChloride]

A reduction of wars in certain areas. Of course the use of violence, terror, dispossession, and cruelty remains, perhaps since we don't call it war it becomes not war and thus good.

So yes, under grave tyranny we have a kind of peace. Which is what the quote of Calgacus was about

Still better than all out war IMHO.

There is no better solution - none implementable nor workable anyway.

Pick your poison.

[Theodarzna]

Still better than all out war IMHO.

There is no better solution - none implementable nor workable anyway.

Pick your poison.

To quote our founders "Those who sacrifice liberty for security, deserve neither."

[SodiumChloride]

To quote our founders "Those who sacrifice liberty for security, deserve neither."

You live that and tell me how it works out.

What a load of horseshit that people are posting that quote from their comfort of their 1st world homes.

[Theodarzna]

The same person also said:

"But our great security lies, I think, in our growing strength, both in numbers and wealth; … unless, by a neglect of military discipline, we should lose all martial spirit …; for there is much truth in the Italian saying, Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you."

Just saying.

Well our founders also spoke of Freedom, Liberty and Justice while being served drinks by slaves.

America is of course a land of Hypocrites.

[Theodarzna]

But the dominant land of Hypocrites who keep the world safer than it has ever been in the history of mankind.

That is a bit of a stretch. For example wars declined after the Roman Empire and indeed the lifespans of Europeans rose after Pax Romana.

The sense that we live in a time of peace is a product of a narrow definition of peace, and once more a willing ignorance of the world we inflict our "peace," upon and that damage it does.

One is allowed to criticize the morality of the country trying to enforce peace.

Much like the town rapist may also be great at stopping murders, but he is still the town rapist. Saying "Hey, at least the murder rate is down." is sort of ill comfort.

[Theodarzna]

Sure criticize all you want. Just don't deny facts.

"peace," depends on a narrow definition of peace. Like for example the South had peace in a sense, its order was maintained through regular wiping, mutilations, torture, murder and rape of the slave population as an example.

[Wiyld]

As i understand it, next gen fighter craft might be hybrids. Robots/Remote controlled/Piloted. In a task like the current in Syria for example, you could probably safely use drones. Unless future third world rebels somehow can get their hands on sophisticated EW gear.
But how do you contaminate a robot with virus if you simply shut down any downlinks and let it operate on its own in danger zone? Probably still sci fi though.

We have been carpet bombed by commercials from Boeing's Super Hornet recently btw. Pretty funny they aim their campaign directly at the citizens - first time i've seen commercials for Fighter planes in the newspapers.

http://superhornet.dk/

I envision a hybrid situation whereby we have humans flying into combat, but at a standoff range, while they send in partially autonomous drones to do the dirty work. Just the old 'mothership' concept really...a small number of manned aircraft accompanied by a swarm of drones. The drones would be super flexible, you could control them from the ground, from the accompanying manned planes, or operate autonomously. The redundancy covers you against most forms of hostile takeover. Probably just a heavily defended AWAC kinda deal...maybe with some focused energy defenses and a whole lot of little drones, you could even make the drones really tiny and consumable...just have each one armed and able to kamikaze any enemy.

[Deleted]

I envision a hybrid situation whereby we have humans flying into combat, but at a standoff range, while they send in partially autonomous drones to do the dirty work. Just the old 'mothership' concept really...a small number of manned aircraft accompanied by a swarm of drones. The drones would be super flexible, you could control them from the ground, from the accompanying manned planes, or operate autonomously. The redundancy covers you against most forms of hostile takeover. Probably just a heavily defended AWAC kinda deal...maybe with some focused energy defenses and a whole lot of little drones, you could even make the drones really tiny and consumable...just have each one armed and able to kamikaze any enemy.

Brilliant idea. What could possibly go wrong?

[Mormolyce]

How do you know that Americans don't have empathy for the 11k that died in the Boko Haram insurgency?

Because they didn't "react" to it? Of course if they did, people will claim the US is fucking around in Africa ...

Reality of the matter is, if Africa actively asks for help, the UN (mostly the US and other NATO countries) would probably give a hand in fighting the insurgency. The UN intervened in East Timor after all. But having foreign troops on your soil is really the last resort though as they can actually make things worst.

I'm sure SOME Americans care about Boko Haram. That's really not the point though.

[Random010203]

Make spaceships then!

The power source is still a major hump we can't get over yet. Until localized fusion reactors become a reality, spaceships (not talking NASA) aren't really going to happen. Even solar sails have a long way to go.