You choose: 283 A-10Cs, 350 F-16As, or 62 B-1Bs.

You choose: 283 A-10Cs, 350 F-16As, or 62 B-1Bs.

I'm quoting the following from James Hasik blog posting:

Thus, let’s presume that we’re back to cutting an aircraft fleet, and the question is the forecast of the most stressing scenario. Here’s my nutshell estimate:

Those 283 A-10Cs would be most useful against the Russians.
Those 62 B-1Bs would be most useful against the Chinese.
Those 350 F-16s would be excess to requirements in both cases.  end quote.

Mr. Hasik makes a good arguement for cutting the F-16Cs from the inventory and moving them into the desert ready reserve (i.e. mothball them!).  The A-10s might have to be called to action for the mess in the Ukraine.  And the B-1Bs as stand-off cruise missile carriers if things heat up with China.

USAF Future

This article by Eric Palmer on his blog echos some concerns that I have been having for several years concerning just what direction our Air Force is heading towards.

Retirement of the B1-B bomber. Taking several squadrons of F-15s and putting them into storage. The great Air Tanker Charlie Foxtrot saga. The T-38 is FINALLY being retired.

Now Palmer goes after the AFA (Air Force Association) for supporting current Air Force policy. And if that policy is bad...

I go into some similar things in a recent posting dealing with the DoD buying Russian helicopters for Afghan military forces.

Anyway, check his blog out.

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Ref. "I call on America, the DOD and the USAF to save the Air Force before it is too late" by Eric Palmer. June 25, 2010.(http://ericpalmer.wordpress.com/2010/06/25/i-call-on-america-the-dod-and-the-usaf-to-save-the-air-force-before-it-is-too-late/).

Aerospace, Technology, Paranormal and UFOS "Depend on your government - to screw things up! DoD Buys Russian Helos" by Don W. Shanks, June , 2010. (http://aerospacedreams.blogspot.com/2010/06/depend-on-your-goverment-to-screw.html).

Chavez's Venezuela To Buy Chinese K-8 Trainers

Dictator Hugo Chavez is on a tour of China recently where it was announced that Venezuela will purchase 24 of the Chinese K-8 trainers for the Venezuelan Air Force. The new trainers could start to appear in Venezuelan skies in the next year. The Chinese will also help build a new shipyard to build new oil tankers for trading Chavez's oil with the Chinese. Current exports as of April 2008 was in the 250,000 barrels per day and by next year, that figure should be closer to 500,000 barrels per day in 2010. In addition to that, three oil refineries, to be located in the Orinoco region which is in the eastern part of that South American country.

Chavez calls China a "Strategic Ally." Especially since the PRC will contribute 4 billion dollars of a 6 billion bilateral investment fund. Chavez's Venezuela provides the remaining balance to that fund.

Russia sent some Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela as well as some naval ships including the big missile cruiser Peter the Great, to begin "training runs" in the Caribbean. This is to counter the "threats" that the USA has been making by "supporting" Georgia. Also tensions have risen over the US being able to get countries like Poland to go along with the missile defense shield prgram. The Tu-160 kinda looks like the American B-1B bomber. The Times On Line from the UK had a good article by Tony Halpin (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4804157.ece) that gives more detail on the ships involved. Peter the Great carries 20 nuclear tipped cruise missiles and hundreds of surface to air missiles for defense. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin has courted Venezuela and Cuba as tensions developed between Russia and the USA.

Russia gets to use the useful puppet Chavez and let the puppet make more anti-American noise than ever before. This also lets ole Hugo's ego get bigger and bigger. Does it take a rocket scientist to determine what is going to be facing the United States of America in the next decade as long as ole Hugo remains in power?