en-us http://www.intensedebate.com/users/338749 Comments by CharlesHouston http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/12/29/u-s-saudis-ink-deal-for-boeing-f-15s/#IDComment250552486 As Thinking_exUSAF said, these are hardly going to be used to put down street demonstrations and they will not be delivered for about 4 years. Byron just had his automatic "reply" function set to ON and has not yet thought about the idea at all. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:32:16 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/12/29/u-s-saudis-ink-deal-for-boeing-f-15s/#IDComment250552486 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/05/20/usmc-gunship-bad-guys-run-good-guys-weep/#IDComment245893613 You reply to a conversation that is 31 WEEKS old and you call someone else a Tool?? Why not go back and debate the Boer War??? Are you connected by a 1200 baud modem, and located in the Australian outback?? Sat, 24 Dec 2011 02:56:33 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/05/20/usmc-gunship-bad-guys-run-good-guys-weep/#IDComment245893613 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/12/13/time-marches-on-for-the-f-22/#IDComment237079182 Fortunately this threat is totally unrealistic and so your proposed spending is unneeded. Iran is gonna sail PT boats up and down the Atlantic coast?? Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:35:18 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/12/13/time-marches-on-for-the-f-22/#IDComment237079182 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/12/02/weekend-wrap-expeditionary-links-27/#IDComment232399245 First, we should define just what "Iraq" is! Certainly the non-Sunni (the system will not allow their sect's name) Iraqis have a very close relationship with the similar sect in Iran - but let us not forget that Iranians are Persians and the non-Sunni Iraqis are not. When we have pulled out, expect a very close relationship but cracks will appear in it soon. How we react will be decisive. The Kurdish Iraqis are not gonna have a close relationship with Iran, in spite of the fact that both are non-Sunni. Iran fears that the Kurds will try to pry the Iranian Kurds out of that country. And the Sunni Iraqis are not ever gonna like the Iranians at all. So - let's pull out and then continue to work with the Kurds and Sunnis. We might keep the Iranians very busy, enough to distract them from some other troublemaking. Where I say "non-Sunni" here, insert the proper name of the sect (S----e, the system here will not display it). Sun, 4 Dec 2011 02:03:34 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/12/02/weekend-wrap-expeditionary-links-27/#IDComment232399245 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/10/31/nasas-high-hopes-for-the-commercial-space-game/#IDComment215424914 If STemplar had knowledge of the booster industry, he would know that the Atlas engines are made by a Russian company (partly in) the Ukraine. What is the most expensive part of a booster? The Delta uses a version of the Space Shuttle Main Engine, made in the USA. For that reason it is a bit more expensive than the Russian engine. Tue, 1 Nov 2011 18:42:35 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/10/31/nasas-high-hopes-for-the-commercial-space-game/#IDComment215424914 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/10/21/report-dod-cuts-could-total-around-550m/#IDComment211080257 To expand on what Champ and Mio are saying... The number of executives is far higher than 2100 - since AF Wing Commanders are O-6s in many cases. To the numbers of Flag officers and SESes, add Colonels, GS-15s, etc. And does that include the Reserves and Guard? But that does not tell the whole story - many of those executives run organizations which have dubious reasons to exist. I must mention the National Guard for one, it is NOT the organization called for by the Constitution and all of it's defense work is done under Federal orders. In the civilian world, people start ten companies selling computers - and nine of them fail. We cannot allow ten divisions to attack and have nine of them fail. So the military is different from the civilian world. Still, the military has a higher proportion of Flag officers today, and the "tooth to tail" ratio is less favorable, than a few earlier times. We could easily find reliable studies that say exactly that. So, there are cuts that could be made that would actually improve the effectiveness of the force. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 22:49:45 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/10/21/report-dod-cuts-could-total-around-550m/#IDComment211080257 http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1949/1#IDComment208758191 If you look at the challenges of going to a destination that would be something like 1.3 million miles away, and the risks involved, it is clear (I don't know if they would allow me to link to an analysis, might have to submit it here) that we will not be technologically able to go (with people) for many decades. This purported 2025 mission is pure fantasy, unfortunately. Robotic missions are still very tough and sending people adds many layers of difficulty. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:39:14 +0000 http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1949/1#IDComment208758191 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment197822625 Did the Cubans or North Koreans do that?? I thought it was our allies, the Saudis. Hmmm. Bin Laden was a what, a Saudi?? Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:57:37 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment197822625 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment197821930 The recent NK tests have shown very unreliable rockets, and the reports I have seen say that their nukes are of dubious value. They can torpedo SK ships but do you think that they threaten the US territory???? Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:56:13 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment197821930 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/19/secaf-like-it-or-not-new-air-force-one-on-horizon/#IDComment196985479 We do NOT need an Air Force One at all, we could put a cabin in a C-17 and be done with it. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:00:01 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/19/secaf-like-it-or-not-new-air-force-one-on-horizon/#IDComment196985479 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196984111 Density - ask the Swiss how undercapable the aircraft is. They are still flying them. But those Swiss will accept anything - they are just some banana republic in the Alps??? Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:56:43 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196984111 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196983455 Density - so do you lay awake at night, worrying about the coming invasion from Cuba? The invasion we have seen is desperate refugees. Both can teeter as long as they want, they are not a real threat to the US. I will worry about actual threats. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:54:58 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196983455 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/22/can-the-afghan-army-endure/#IDComment196927525 Unfortunately, from talking to my brother (LtCol, US Army) who is recently back from his second Afghan deployment... It sounds like the Afghan military is a hodge podge of hostile tribes that do not trust each other. Will they send parts from one provice to another, or will they think that they are sending it to their historic enemies? Equipment they have is seldom maintained and will not long run if NATO folks are not there. 85 percent of the Afghan military cannot read a basic manual, cannot even read their pay statement. They cannot count higher than the number of remaining fingers they have. The chance of them being able to maintain the infrastructure or equipment that we have given them is small. Sigh. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:00:05 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/22/can-the-afghan-army-endure/#IDComment196927525 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196924559 And the X-37b flies WAY too low to be a communications (mostly those are at geosynch altitudes) or GPS satellite. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:53:40 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196924559 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196923946 WarPony - I also live near Ellington ANGB (now Ellington International or whatever, according to the City of Houston) and the X-37b has never been anywhere near Ellington, and never will come near that location. You say it was traveling at supersonic speed at night?? There have been no sonic booms here for several years, not since the Tx ANG F-16s were moved away. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:52:27 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196923946 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196922382 Always - wow, you paint such a grim picture. Respectfully, it is far overstated. From my 28 years in the AF and the space business, and my degrees and personal interest... The Airborne Laser Laboratory is a laboratory and is not operational. It is a nice technology but is certainly not something that we could count on to stop a missile in the boost phase. And if we are worried about missiles from Iran and North Korea, why isn't that aircraft deployed today to stop these missiles? Because it is unproven technology AND the missiles might be ready to fire in several years. Even then, they are not gonna reach the US at all. A single EMP weapon would cause millions of deaths in the US?? After we have spent years insulating our systems against just such a weapon? This alone makes me question your qualifications to talk about nuclear weapons. An EMP explosion is not easy to arrange. When was SDI killed off again? Didn't it morph into the Missile Defense Agency?? Isn't that technology still around and being developed?? Isn't that the ABL, interceptors in Alaska and soon Vandenburg, Ca??? Think about changing your name to Always Confused, and try to ease off of whatever you are on. I am trying hard to be polite but your answer is riddled with mistakes. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:49:08 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196922382 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196381082 Mr Sidius - what is your native language? Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:40:00 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196381082 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196380299 North Korea will be a far different place in five years - they have been teetering on the edge of collapse for years and have not been a real threat for decades. Any missiles they have will be thin skinned systems launched from surface pads, easy to take out with cruise missiles. They might get off a single shot but would it get as far as Japan? Iran is also teetering on collapse, they could totter along for years but still are a minor threat. Any missiles they fired towards us would have to overfly many neighbors and enemies - would they commit suicide just to shoot a single missile at us? The US is a HUGE country and a missile would be a tragedy like the World Trade Center attack - but that did not seriously damage our economy, military, etc. It just made us angry. It is as easy to take out most threats with cruise missiles - on their launch pads. Our anti-missile system is of dubious effectiveness. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:38:28 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196380299 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196063856 One thing that the military could spare is the missile defense system. There are no current threats that it defends against (don't go on about China and Russia - they are both big trade partners and they need us) and none on the near horizon. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:58:40 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/20/the-x-37s-uncertain-fate/#IDComment196063856 http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1853/1#IDComment195977754 Thomas - yes interoperability is much improved. Still - do we need several Army groups (Delta Force, Green Berets, Rangers, etc), each of which is a "special" force? And at least one Navy "special force" as well as Marine "special force"???? Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:38:54 +0000 http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1853/1#IDComment195977754