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Post by pat perry on Mar 3, 2015 12:38:37 GMT 9
Pentagon’s mystery plane is secret, but its $55 billion cost isn’t
www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pentagon%e2%80%99s-mystery-plane-is-secret-but-its-dollar55-billion-cost-isn%e2%80%99t/ar-BBi9Aus?ocid=HPCDHP
Excerpt: The closest it’s come to a public debut was a prime-time tease during a Super Bowl ad that showed its svelte outline veiled beneath a sheet, but revealed not a glimpse of the Pentagon’s most mysterious plane.
Highly classified, the program is one of the Air Force’s top priorities — and its most expensive. The service estimates it will cost $55 billion to build as many as 100 of what it calls the Long Range Strike Bomber, which is designed to fly deep into enemy territory undetected until the mushroom cloud begins to bloom.
Pat P.
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Mar 3, 2015 14:25:42 GMT 9
Interesting.
I wonder what ever happened to the Aurora Program?
I was talking to a Navy Aircraft Maintainer, being transferred to the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt.
He says no one he knows of, pilots and maintainers, are looking to ever see the F-35 being in full Carrier Operations.
He says, in their discussions, it will be nothing but a money pit, and never go in to the fleet.
In his words: "It is a piece or junk".
I think that is a sentiment that will be heard more and more.
It is already costing more than anyone anticipated, and going up.
The new bomber the story talks about may never make it off the ground.
With the way the Military Budget keeps getting axed, there isn't going to be enough money to pay the troops and build new planes.
I wonder if someone will have enough sense, which is very doubtful in the Puzzle Palace or the Parliament, to see that all the fancy weapons will be of little, if any use, against ISIS (Islam) or the masses of troops Russia, Communist China or India can throw in to battle.
It seems that a upgraded fleet of A-10s would be the best method to deal with them.
Well, the "geniuses" in the Puzzle Palace will do whatever they need to to decimate the Military and make it more of a center for "Social Experiments", than a fighting force.
Jim Too
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Post by LBer1568 on Mar 4, 2015 0:12:05 GMT 9
Read yesterday that USAF is backdoor mothballing A-10's in violation of Congress funding. USAF Officials stated they were putting 20 or so A-10's into active storage at DM. Can't wait to see how Congress responds. Also read last week that Commander in USAFE welcomed back A-10's to USAFE as a needed weapon. Lorin
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Post by LBer1568 on Mar 4, 2015 0:25:40 GMT 9
Ah...the Aurora Project. I remember hearing of the TS Aurora Program while still active duty back in mid 80's. Rumor had it that it was the so called puff jet. Lots of contrail sightings in SW USA looking like someone blowing smoke rings in flight. Rumor said that was from the ram jet engines which provided the mach 4-6 speeds achieved by Aurora. I never heard if it was a RF, SR, B or F type aircraft although since it was sighted prior to USAF ending SR71 program one has to believe it was the SR91 I heard about back then. But who knows what is being done at Skunk Works? Lorin
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff
FORUM CHAPLAIN
Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
Currently: Offline
Posts: 5,075
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Joined: July 2007
Retired: USAF NBA: Spurs NFL: Niners MLB: Giants NHL: Penguins
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Mar 4, 2015 11:00:06 GMT 9
When we lived in Moapa Valley, Nevada, January 1984 to September 1993, there were lots of strange things going on in the sky over the high desert.
Moapa Valley is SE of Groom Lake/Area 51, and there were residents of our community who worked there, and at the Atomic Test Site.
There was a young man from our church who would go to Nellis, then be gone from home for several days, then home for several days, repeating the cycle.
He was Active Duty, a Crew Chief on an F-117.
No, he didn't tell me that, I guessed it from things I understood.
The relief crews were flown in and out of Area 51.
At night it was not unusual to see lights in the sky, some moving very slowly, some rapidly, some stopping, some making various maneuvers at varying altitudes.
People would go up to Rachel, then take back trails to the mountains on the East of Groom Lake/Area 51, hoping to get pictures of whatever was flying up there.
The Air Force began making regular ground and helicopter patrols around the area, and eventually got the land from BLM and closed it off.
Some people, including trained observers, like helicopter pilots and law enforcement, were describing some interesting "stuff" flying in the skies over the remote Nevada Desert.
The "rumours", of course, were often about the Aurora, and what it looked like.
What it was/is, may not be known for a long time, as I'm sure the government is keeping things locked up on those projects.
Kelly Johnson is no longer around, but the Skunk Works is probably still doing some marvelous things, that they are not talking about.
And, who knows what may be undergoing testing up at Groom Lake.
Whatever it/they might be, nothing will be shown in any budget list.
Jim Too
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Post by LBer1568 on Mar 4, 2015 23:49:26 GMT 9
In Feb 1983 I went TDY to Nellis AFB from McChord AFB to interview with folks at Groom Lake about taking over the F117 Simulator Branch Chief Position. I was met at airport by Avionics Maintenance Chief and CMSgt Avionics superintendent. They drove me to base and talked about the job. The simulator wasn't built yet, but facility was being remodeled. They told me about duty day from 6 in morning until 6 at night, because it included a bus ride back and forth to Nellis which is where base housing would be. They read me into program and gave me tour of base and one aircraft. After their sales job I said I wasn't interested in program. They said you don't have a choice. My reply was it requires a TS SCI right? And I said my displeasure with work could disqualify me. So I flew back to McChord and did not get orders to Nellis. But folks at WPAFB sent me by-name request to come work in Simulator System Program Office. While there I did some work on F-117 Sim Program. It was a "Black" program at time and I still had my TS Clearance. During my career I worked many jobs that required long hours. My TDY to Osan was 12 hour shifts 7 days. I didn't complain about that because I wasn't with family. But to volunteer for 12 shifts for tour would have taken too much time away from family. And the Avionics folks said the morale was great among those who had been working 12 hour shifts for long time....ya right. Lorin
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