|
|
Post by steve201 (deceased) on Mar 11, 2010 1:13:42 GMT 9
Remember when we started seeing F106's as Q-drones???..only to die in a blaze of glory to some young pilot getting the chance to shoot an unarmed drone plane??..
well..Boeing won the next round of Drones...the F16a's are now being mod'd to fill that role....
Boeing awarded Phase1 of US Air Force QF-16 drone contract
Boeing was awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth approximately $69.7 million on Monday representing Phase 1 of the initial engineering, manufacturing and development of up to 126 QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Targets. These F-16 converted drones will replace the QF-4 fleet, which will be depleted from inventory by 2015.
"This off platform win speaks volumes for Boeing’s ability to effectively execute our non-OEM (original equipment manufacturer) platform growth strategy," said Bob Insinna, QF-16 program manager. "Teaming with BAE Systems of Johnson City, New York, helped enable us to offer a low risk and affordable solution to the customer that meets all their requirements."
Full-scale target drones are used as aerial test targets for newly developed weapons and tactics. To support this development they are equipped to evaluate how our fighters and weapons will operate against potential adversaries.
"The QF-16 will provide the USAF with a 4th Generation threat representative weapon system evaluation capability," said Insinna. "This provides the warfighter an enhanced ability to respond and react to new threats and tactics."
The Boeing-led team leverages the capabilities of the entire Boeing Company for execution of the QF-16 program. The engineering design and development will take place in St. Louis. Ground and flight test, as well as production and modification of the drones will be performed at the Boeing facility in Cecil Field, Fla., near Jacksonville. Fort Walton Beach, Fla., will provide the integrated logistic support expertise.
The first of six F-16s that will be used for the initial design and development phase will arrive at Boeing’s Cecil Field facility in April and the first production drone will be delivered in 2014.
Steve
|
|
|
|
Post by dude on Mar 11, 2010 1:28:26 GMT 9
 Not what I'd call a major surprise. Wasn't Boeing (a.k.a. MD) and BAE joined at the hip for the QF-4 conversions? Hard to beat that kind of a legacy. P.S. I heard the QF-16 drones will actually be manned. Just in case someone has to get out and push. 
|
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Mar 11, 2010 1:56:50 GMT 9
Not what I'd call a major surprise. Wasn't Boeing (a.k.a. MD) and BAE joined at the hip for the QF-4 conversions? Hard to beat that kind of a legacy. P.S. I heard the QF-16 drones will actually be manned. Just in case someone has to get out and push. OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
|
|
|
Post by steve201 (deceased) on Mar 11, 2010 2:47:12 GMT 9
being lawn darts...I wonder how they will get the noses out of the dirt!!!
Steve
|
|
|
|
Post by lindel on Mar 11, 2010 6:08:36 GMT 9
If ya havta wear booties and hit em with soft rubber mallets, aren't they kinda dainty to be drones?
|
|
cc790
F-106 Skilled
F-106 '80-'84 F-15 '84-'01
Currently: Offline
Posts: 106
Location:
Joined: February 2010
|
Post by cc790 on Mar 11, 2010 7:27:17 GMT 9
Careful lindel, you may upset the memebrs of the lawn dart community! :banned
|
|
Bullhunter
Global Moderator 
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
Currently: Offline
Posts: 7,445 
Location:
Joined: May 2005
|
QF-16's
Mar 11, 2010 10:34:38 GMT 9
Post by Bullhunter on Mar 11, 2010 10:34:38 GMT 9
We should be selling these older F-16 jets to help pay down the debt.
|
|
|
|
QF-16's
Mar 11, 2010 13:27:23 GMT 9
Post by dude on Mar 11, 2010 13:27:23 GMT 9
But what would we shoot at then?
|
|
|
|
QF-16's
Mar 11, 2010 13:47:32 GMT 9
Post by Jim on Mar 11, 2010 13:47:32 GMT 9
resurrect the old wsm............. Why spend a million bucks to have something to shoot at and see it blowup?  ? Or let someone play pilot with a remote controller and an overgrown model airplane? ? Sell em to Iran so we will have something to shoot at in the next war...... |
|
Bullhunter
Global Moderator
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
Currently: Offline
Posts: 7,445
Location:
Joined: May 2005
|
QF-16's
Mar 11, 2010 16:46:10 GMT 9
Post by Bullhunter on Mar 11, 2010 16:46:10 GMT 9
Remember the cold war we won?
The B-52s carried items called quail.
Cheap decoy drones to launch and confuse enemy radar and trick Soviet fighters.
|
|
cc790
F-106 Skilled
F-106 '80-'84 F-15 '84-'01
Currently: Offline
Posts: 106
Location:
Joined: February 2010
|
Post by cc790 on Mar 12, 2010 3:14:37 GMT 9
|
|
|
|
Post by dude on Mar 12, 2010 7:01:30 GMT 9
OK its decided then. No QF-16s. Instead we'll put a guy up in a piper and have him throw out census forms for them to shoot at. 
|
|
cc790
F-106 Skilled
F-106 '80-'84 F-15 '84-'01
Currently: Offline
Posts: 106
Location:
Joined: February 2010
|
Post by cc790 on Mar 12, 2010 8:13:55 GMT 9
If you look close at the picture, it's a QF-16 laying on it's back off the endof the runway at Nellis '81-'82 timeframe. One down, numeruso to go! Some poor LT lost his turn. :  |
|
|
|
QF-16's
Mar 12, 2010 12:05:33 GMT 9
Post by Mark O on Mar 12, 2010 12:05:33 GMT 9
If you look close at the picture, it's a QF-16 laying on it's back... Well, no, it wasn't a QF-16 since they haven't even built any yet. (But I do see the sarcasm!) I am curious as to the real story behind that photo, however. Any info? Mark |
|
|
|
QF-16's
Mar 12, 2010 20:57:33 GMT 9
Post by oswald on Mar 12, 2010 20:57:33 GMT 9
Surely something could be done to put a stop to this insanity.
|
|
|
|
QF-16's
Mar 12, 2010 21:50:47 GMT 9
Post by jimpadgett on Mar 12, 2010 21:50:47 GMT 9
Probably hurtful for folks to see something they worked to keep flying shot at like a squirrel. I know it was saddening for me to watch the Mace missile, the F-102 and the F-106 suffer this fate.
|
|
cc790
F-106 Skilled
F-106 '80-'84 F-15 '84-'01
Currently: Offline
Posts: 106
Location:
Joined: February 2010
|
QF-16's
Mar 12, 2010 22:19:43 GMT 9
Post by cc790 on Mar 12, 2010 22:19:43 GMT 9
If you look close at the picture, it's a QF-16 laying on it's back... Well, no, it wasn't a QF-16 since they haven't even built any yet. (But I do see the sarcasm!) I am curious as to the real story behind that photo, however. Any info? Mark We were at Nellis for a Red Flag or Green Flag, I don't remember which. We would stop working whenever a Red Flag launch was going on because of the noise. We were doing a gear retraction on 460. I heard what I now know as a AB blowout. The nose wheel was off the ground. It sounded like he chopped the throttle until he was even with our parking row. He thaen selected AB again and tried to get airborne. Unfortunately he ran out of runway. There's a drainage ditch off the Vegas end of the runway. He hit the ditch and started rolling. The fire dept cut the pilot out of the cockpit that had broken off. The picture was taken after the hydrazine scare was over and the area was declared safe. The pilot was pretty much unschathed, thankfully. |
|
cc790
F-106 Skilled
F-106 '80-'84 F-15 '84-'01
Currently: Offline
Posts: 106
Location:
Joined: February 2010
|
QF-16's
Mar 12, 2010 22:24:16 GMT 9
Post by cc790 on Mar 12, 2010 22:24:16 GMT 9
Probably hurtful for folks to see something they worked to keep flying shot at like a squirrel. I know it was saddening for me to watch the Mace missile, the F-102 and the F-106 suffer this fate. I agree. It broke my heart watching the sixes when I went to Willy Tell in '92 and when I was stationed there '94-'95. But you have to find the good in everything. If it helps some young fighter jock to defend our great nation, it's worth the sacrifice! :patriotic-flagwaver One question I do have. If an ADF F-16 shootsdown a QF-16, is that considered cannibalizm? No, I guess not. Unless it injests pieces in the inlet. |
|
|
|
Post by dude on Mar 13, 2010 0:10:46 GMT 9
The company I worked for at the time actually bid, but did not win, the conversion job for the QF-106. And of course I was involved (and no that is not why we didn't win... I think). For some reason I think Honeywell got the contract, but its been a long time. Anyway I remember alot of the discussion at the time centered on how to best leverage the existing AFSC and MA-1 computer so that among other things the QFsix could do formation flying. I'm not all that spun up on QFs, so my question is, was the Six the first full scale drone used in multi-ship formations, or were there predecessors?
|
|
Bullhunter
Global Moderator
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
Currently: Offline
Posts: 7,445
Location:
Joined: May 2005
|
Post by Bullhunter on Mar 13, 2010 1:25:25 GMT 9
cc790 posted:
Completed 24 years in the USAF and I never heard of a green flag.
Can you clue me in?
|
|
Not what I'd call a major surprise. Wasn't Boeing (a.k.a. MD) and BAE joined at the hip for the QF-4 conversions? Hard to beat that kind of a legacy.
