The majority of the drone force needs to be privatized. Let the Pentagon own the hardware and oversee the missions, but subcontract the operations of the drone itself to private entities who can handle the job with greater efficiency and cost effectiveness.

The danger is...if the rear gear ‘hooked’ on anything at ALL, as soon as they tried to lift off again, it would have pivoted the aircraft around the part where they were hooked, and they would have been inverted and in the sea before they could drop power again. It would have been totally uncontrollable.

So what happens if the aggressors win?

Until then...we will be ready!

At what range...as well as what time of day...in what conditions (sea state, weather)...if the Kilo skipper detects the P-8’s radar, will he move to a group of fishing boats and poke his snorkel there (risking getting caught in the fishing gear) or amid the infamous trash areas that float amid the ocean currents.

It’s SOP, they can lift vertically or STO from spot 2 if weight is an issue. The decks can take the heat but if the exhaust deflectors are malfunctioning the navy bitches about it, there are heat shields but they are a pain to move around and just get in the way.

There’s always one nutjob who hasn’t figured out that not every article is improved by a right wing screed. Like this one.

There’s a reason you see so many current and former military posting on Foxtrot Alpha. They enjoy Tyler’s writing and agree that he knows his stuff. Whatever Tyler’s plan is, it’s no doubt better informed and more effective than whatever you think we should do.

Didn’t Jalopnik already find what they needed…

25 knots?!?

Ocean-going speed of 6 knots max?

I’m in the same boat.

One ping only, Vasily.

Thanks for your service! I talked with a P-3 pilot over a few beers not too long ago. He’s sad to see them go (he was promoted to a desk), but said the P-8 is plenty capable.

25 years ago I spent a week on trail of a submerged Kilo in an LA boat. I’m SURE we can still hold on to them.

As I’ve said elsewhere...when we did our ASWex with our own subs, they had to help us acoustically...and that was the fast attack boats.

Happy Tuesday to you, Buzz.

Stories like that with absolutely no context are worthless. Like how a Rafale ‘shot down’ an F-22 in another exercise.

Nah, not 155’s. I want an updated version of its 12”/50 Mark 8 or an equivalent railgun. Maybe have it have the ability to fire sabot versions of the 155, but I want it to be able to drop a half ton shell on someone when they really piss us off.

While we're dreaming...