gdp's Comments

Defense Tech : Pentagon Inks Sweetheart Deal For Mi-17s

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:21:07 +0000

Good point. I would hope so.

Defense Tech : Naval Artillery, PLA Style

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:32:37 +0000

Obviously Photo shopped. Also how effective would this actually be? The fire control on those artillery pieces would have a hard time accounting for the motions on a ship. I would assume modern naval weapons are plugged into the ship with gryos / heading / speeds etc.

Defense Tech : Time to Think 'Horizontal' for Future Space Launches

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:38:22 +0000

I would suspect you can't cost justifiy a system like this as compared to a standard missile. Arclight seems a better, and more realistic option for that.

Defense Tech : Time to Think 'Horizontal' for Future Space Launches

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:36:12 +0000

You would use substantially less rocket fuel. Less weight and parts going into orbit, the spacecraft would be simpler in ways. Launch is far more complex but it sounds like a solid plan. Just need to advance the tech a bit more.

Defense Tech : Taiwan Builds Missile Defense Shield in Face of Chinese Missile Buildup

Wed, 8 Sep 2010 17:58:22 +0000

6 Batteries? Do you even know what a battery is? Lets assume full batteries of 8 launches each. Each launcher can hold up to 4 pac-2 or 16 pac-3s. So in a pack 3 configuration 6 batteries could hold up to 768 missiles. But most likely your going to have a mix of Pac-2 / pac-3 as each has its own strengths. But at a minimum 6 batteries would have 192 availible missiles. Plus the ability to repenlish. Taiwain already has patriot batteries from previous orders. Perhaps not a perfect shield, but its not insignificant either.

Defense Tech : What Do You Call an IED with Fins? A SAM . . .

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:18:27 +0000

Sounds like this came from an engineering brainstorm session. Essentially trying to tackle a problem by using an unlikely approach. How can you conquer an IED threat? Armor or mobility, this is an examination of mobility, as armor is being throughly exhausted. I highly doubt the program manager sees this become a production program, but the funding should help establish if there is any merit in the concept. With all the money being put into HEAVIER and HEAVIER vehicles exploring a complete alternative (light and mobile) seems prudent risk mitigation

Defense Tech : What Do You Call an IED with Fins? A SAM . . .

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:12:40 +0000

http://www.darpa.mil/tto/programs/tx/index.html "The Transformer (TX) vehicle program will examine the feasibility and approaches for developing vertical take-off and landing....and can be operated by a typical soldier"

DoD Buzz : Last $5B Tac Missile Competition

Mon, 9 Aug 2010 23:30:53 +0000

Ray and Lock are together for GMB (Ground Based Missile Defense) Ray / Boeing are together for JAGM.

Defense Tech : Iran Claims It Has Obtained S-300 Air Defense Missile System

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 23:57:04 +0000

Agreed, I believe Raytheon recently have been during refurbs on Saudi Hawks as they had degraded over the years. Think of computers from the seventies... How long does your current computer stay functional? Try that with 70's tech.

Defense Tech : Iran Claims It Has Obtained S-300 Air Defense Missile System

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 14:49:34 +0000

It could actually just be four missiles that they bought under the table to try and reverse engineer. Still without the radars and tracking computers this doesn't seem much of a threat.

Defense Tech : Farnborough: Raytheon's Navalized Laser Fries Aerial Drone

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:37:10 +0000

Know it all? I know very little about lasers only the theoretical highlights, simple pointing out practical challenges. Raw unassailable firepower? Except for the fact that it could only hit targets with a direct line of sight from sea level. A hill would defeat it.

Defense Tech : Farnborough: Raytheon's Navalized Laser Fries Aerial Drone

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:48:56 +0000

Sure you could build a 100kw laser. What about space and power requirements? Would linking smaller lasers be less efficient in power usage? Its hard to move from the lab to practical Super turbo laser? Nah. I'll settle for a rapid fire rail gun.

Defense Tech : Farnborough: Raytheon's Navalized Laser Fries Aerial Drone

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:33:12 +0000

Plus, raytheon thought enough of it to research and build it on their own dime. Granted the Navy paid for the test, but Raytheon knows where it putting its money. Lasers are the future for air defense.

Defense Tech : Farnborough: Raytheon's Navalized Laser Fries Aerial Drone

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:30:40 +0000

Why don't you go build at 100 KW laser. Do you know where to start? Its not a simple thing. The first airplane wasn't a aerodynamic jet fighter, it would be rather dumb to assume lasers can instantly become combat effective.

Defense Tech : Ukrainian Aircraft Builder Antonov Wants Shot at KC-X Tanker Contract

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 15:17:04 +0000

And when are generalizations an intelligent statement? Almost never.

Defense Tech : On Bravery in Battle

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:21:14 +0000

Your drawing a conclusion from a gross generalization

Defense Tech : Russian Media Claims Club-K Containerized Anti-Ship Missile Is Hypersonic, Low-Observable

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:58:19 +0000

Yeah, its high risk, but it would also be a night mere PR problem to attack civilian / logistical targets. But until they were fired you may not know they are there. You can't blow up every container in a country because it "might" hold missiles.

Defense Tech : Russian Media Claims Club-K Containerized Anti-Ship Missile Is Hypersonic, Low-Observable

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:48:37 +0000

I can't seem to get the video to play, but I wouldn't easily write this report off... The Club K is being produced by "Concern Morinform-system-AGAT". This is the same company that produces the "Sizzler" or "Club". The Sizzler is supposed to have a range of 300km, a 450kg warhead, and be supersonic. The "Club-K" is simply them putting four Sizzlers in a box and selling them. - Source - The Economist (June 12th 2010). It cites a Vice Admiral and a manager for the US Navy on the Sizzler, so those numbers would seem to be accurate. And according to them we won't even have a target missile that can match the Sizzler's performance until 2014.

Defense Tech : Putin Declares New Russian Built PAK-FA Stealth Fighter Better Than F-22 Raptor

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:08:39 +0000

1. Not true, this was significantly raise the price. Buying parts overseas is the only way to get partner nations on board. Without this less planes would be ordered and costs would go up. But yes, on a pure dollar value per part it is more expensive. 2. Doubtful Asia has the manufacturing base for such high end work. Even if they did, they don't have thousands of workers with US Security Clearance. 3. If you go to a fixed price contract Lockheed would have to charge a higher price per plane to be sure they don't get stuck with the bill in the end. Experemential and highly costly. That is alot of risk for a company to take on, so you would have to pay a big premium. Fixed price doesnt make sense until you have a proven product. 4. Good point... 5. New materials could actually cut costs. Computing power gets better/ cheaper all the time because we find new ways to make them. It could also raise costs of course, but increase performance.

Defense Tech : Russia Says S-300 SAM Sale to Iran Will Go Through Despite New UN Sanctions

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:54:38 +0000

They can't help it, too narrow of a perspective.