The United States Marine Corps has accepted delivery of its very first F-35 stealth light bomber – or some of it anyway.”The Lockheed Martin-built plane’s computerized logistical system, flight software and special helmet still aren’t ready — an…
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The Disaffected Lib: Aerial Buyer’s Remorse?
Ever buy something with all the bells and whistles only to realize you spent a lot of money on fancy extras you’ll never need or even use?Don’t blame the sales staff. They’re in the business to “up sell” you whenever possible. T…
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: A Stealth Fighter Commander Speaks Out – Beware!
One of America’s top stealth fighter pilots, Lt.-Col. Christopher Neimi, has a dire warning to his country about the risks of relying on stealth technology.”Stealth technology demands significant trade-offs in range, security, weapons carriage…
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Harper Tories cry havoc and let slip the wars of dogs!
Meow! Prime Minister Stephen and Patron of the War Animals Laureen Harper with their Military Intelligence advisor “Trinity.” Below: the GRU and CSIS lapel pins. Note the similarity of design. Coincidence? I think not! A Royal Canadian animal hat: Here be Dragoons. And below that: Modern elephant-mounted light artillery …
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: China’s Second Stealth Fighter Takes to the Skies
China has flown its second stealth fighter, the J-31, the smaller cousin to its previous model, the J-20. A look at either of them reveals the classic, Lockheed-Martin, F-22 Raptor pedigree. Unlike the F-35 limited range, modest payload, marginally maneuverable light attack bomber, the Chinese 20’s and 31’s appear to
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: America’s Looming Strategic Insolvency.
“A moment has arrived with a great power with global responsibilities is having a crisis of confidence. Its economy has grown sluggish and it is being overtaken by a number of rising competitors. Financial pressures loom, notably the ability to keep a balance between government revenues and expenses. It is
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Peace? It’s a Dangerously Flexible Concept
The Canadian debate over the F-35 has always overlooked perhaps the most critical issue. We never want to discuss what signing on for the F-35 means for Canada’s defence policy and posture. Yet that airplane, as none other could, will steer our defence policy and posture for decades to come.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Suckers!!!
Like the autumn leaves, the myths about the F-35 stealth light bomber are finally falling. Now it’s beginning to emerge that the F-35 may just be the warplane our potential adversaries want us to buy. As Travis Sharp, an analyst with the Centre for a New American Security puts it,
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: F-35, A Nuclear Strike Bomber?
Surprise, surprise – the F-35 is being designed with a nuclear weapons capability. Presumably even Steve Harper hasn’t got the guts to add a nuclear arsenal to Canada’s military establishment but, with that guy, there’s no telling. A nuclear capability on such a range-limited warplane suggests one thing – nuclear
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Fifth Estate Shoots the F-35 Down in Flames
CBC’s The Fifth Estate aired one of its all time best episodes tonight, “Runaway Fighter.” The programme laid bare the rank dishonesty and duplicity of the Harper government and its obsession with Lockheed’s aerial “turkey.” Clips showed both Harper and MacKay lying through their teeth about fictional competitions and supposed
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: 200 Reasons to Say No to the F-35
There were at least 200-instances since 1988 when CF-18 pilots had to shut one engine down and return to base on the remaining engine. Put another way, the Canadian Air Force had two hundred examples over the past 24-years when, had they been flying the F-35, their aircraft might have
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Difference Between a CF-18 and the F-35
If Canada had been operating the F-35 since 1988, we’d probably be hard pressed to find any still flying. Over the past 24-years, the twin-engine CF-18 has racked up plenty of bird strikes. In fact the amazing fighter, selected by the Trudeau government, has, during that period, had 67-instances where its
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: How Much American Stealth Technology Does China Already Have?
Recent images of two Chinese stealth fighters, the J-20 that appeared almost two years ago and the J-21 that surfaced this past week, have stymied American observers. No one knows how advanced these aircraft may be. They look like carbon copies of America’s top stealth fighter, the F-22 (no, not
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: So Where’s Our Stealth Fighter
According to Wired.com’s “Danger Room” China has not one but two stealth fighters. It’s been almost two years since China revealed the Chengdu J-20 stealth warplane. Now rival Shenyang has apparently produced its own stealth fighter, designated J-21. It’s unclear whether Beijing intends to compete the J-20 against the J-21
Continue readingLeDaro: Ret. Maj.Gen. Lewis MacKenzie: Avro Arrow considered as F-35 alternative, more effective and much cheaper
Why Harper and company are determined to buy F-35? “It’s an attack aircraft. It’s designed for attacking ground targets and its stealth is most effective against short range radar, protecting ground targets,” MacKenzie said. “What we need in Canada is something that can go to the edge of our
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Broken Arrow
Another safely retired Canadian general with too much time on his hands, Lewis MacKenzie, is fronting for a group urging the feds to scrap the F-35, first-strike, stealth light bomber in favour of resurrecting the CF-105 Avrow Arrow, itself scrapped by the earlier Conservative government of John Diefenbaker. Bollocks, Lew.
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: Conservative MP insults Canadians with confused take on F-35 jet plan
Yesterday we’d a jolly good laugh when Yukon Tory MP Ryan Leef got overjoyed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit and invited those gathered to “join me in welcoming back to the Yukon, the Prime Minister of Cannibal.” Conservative MP, Chris Alexander’s recent take on the F-35 fighter jet controversy
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: What Keeps the F-35 Airborne?
If you follow the international news on the F-35 it appears Lockheed has made it through the rough patch and now has the controversial warplane flying straight and level. Although the F-35 is over budget (grossly), overdue and underperforming and remains beset by serious technical problems, the Pentagon and America’s
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Was It Good for You Too?
An Aviation Week editor spent some time recently at Edwards Air Force Base filming an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in flight. His recording was disrupted by a severe sonic boom from an F-35 speeding through the Edwards high-speed corridor. Notice the F-35 boom at the 7 second mark. Then compare
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Let’s Skip the 5th Generation F-35 and Put Our Money on the 6th Generation Option
The F-35 was a good idea that simply kept going downhill. Lockheed was going to build the F-22 stealth fighter and the F-35 stealth light attack bomber. But it was a sucker’s bet on the longevity of stealth technology. And we now know that Israeli and American defense planners have
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