F-22 will see no more orders, VH-71 cancelled

[TCO]

I'm still so mad at JOM. I just want to napalm their babies.

[TCO]

I just got banned from this site btw: http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=488#comments

[Naked Gents Rut]

You should try to get banned at Watt's Up With That. Lots of cranks over there.

[TCO]

I've been banned there several times. he's mad at me for...well the usual...but really hates me being anonymous. Think he wants to sniff my underwear.

[Asher]

This is the 2nd source I read about UAV's being piloted from the states, via satellink.

My quesiton is - what the hell is the point?

Unless they are strategical AUV's for limited strategical bombing, AUVs should be piloted by local forces, as close to the combat level as possible.

Are you seriously asking what the point is to keep Americans out of harm's way?

If you're piloting the ****ing thing remotely, it doesn't matter if you're LOCAL or not. THAT IS THE POINT.

I am BAFFLED.

[Naked Gents Rut]

I've been banned there several times.

Excellent.

[TCO]

Hanging here lately. http://noconsensus.wordpress.com/

DanSed

[Naked Gents Rut]

The name alone puts me to sleep.

[Sirotnikov]

Are you seriously asking what the point is to keep Americans out of harm's way?

If you're piloting the ****ing thing remotely, it doesn't matter if you're LOCAL or not. THAT IS THE POINT.

I am BAFFLED.

It matters a great deal, because you need to keep the operating staff in one place with the local commanders, so they can interact.

I'm not suggesting the operators run around in fatigues in Fallujah (though a local tour might always help their skills), but they should be in the same building, at least, as the operations room where local command staff are making decisions, and where all sources of intel, recon and reporting arrive.

Physical proximity, has a great deal of effect on successfully coordinating forces.

[TCO]

It matters a great deal, because you need to keep the operating staff in one place with the local commanders, so they can interact.

I'm not suggesting the operators run around in fatigues in Fallujah (though a local tour might always help their skills), but they should be in the same building, at least, as the operations room where local command staff are making decisions, and where all sources of intel, recon and reporting arrive.

Physical proximity, has a great deal of effect on successfully coordinating forces.

Good point. You were right on the web design as well. Asher needs to listen to you more.

[Asher]

It matters a great deal, because you need to keep the operating staff in one place with the local commanders, so they can interact.

You don't need to interact in person. They have high quality videoconferencing and collaboration tools. There's massive benefits to being in the USA (from morale to infrastructure to safety to reliability) and very little downside.

You're living in the wrong century.

[Asher]

Good point. You were right on the web design as well. Asher needs to listen to you more.

What web design are you talking about?

Only talentless diploma-wielding tools do web design.

[GePap]

Any country that could afford to build an airforce to compete with ours for air superiority can also build strategic nuclear weapons, making the whole question moot.

Yes, because America and China are definitely going to escalate to nuclear weapons in a conflict over Taiwan.

Air superiority over the Taiwan Straits is a NAVY job. Last time I checked, the F-22 doesn't take off carriers.

And no, I don't expect F-22's to be based on Taiwan in the course of such a conflict, given the vulnerability of Taiwanese airfields to missile attacks. And Okinawa is probably a bit too far away to run effective Air superiority missions.

[Sirotnikov]

You don't need to interact in person. They have high quality videoconferencing and collaboration tools. There's massive benefits to being in the USA (from morale to infrastructure to safety to reliability) and very little downside.

You're living in the wrong century.

I'm the last person to claim video-conferencing or collaboration tools are bad or inadequate. They're great, and the enable things that never happened before. But, they can not totally replace physical proximity, and that should be preferred, when possible.

I'm not talking about stuff like disruptions or delays. I'm talking about the necessity of all staff being on a single mission, being physically in the same group, and in the same mindset.

It isn't crucial for civilian uses, but military stuff is different. When you have AUV's responsible for real-time video, or more importantly - real-time sniping and shooting, the operators need to be as close to the local commanders as possible. They need to have the same mindset, the same worries, be aware of the same stuff in the control room. They even need t go on the same coffee breaks, and have chats at the cooler together.

It does create a huge difference. It creates cohesion and allows for cooperation on a level that otherwise simply does not happen.

[TCO]

Asher: Shewfelt update: http://gymnasticscoaching.com/?p=8108