Nike Ajax and Hercules were point defense systems and were not installed “along our coasts and northern border”. They were installed around specific locations, cities, Air Force bases, and strategic assets (Hanford Reactors). The sites were numbered by their location around the protected site.

Seems to me the only way to reduce the costs of a Kitty Hawk class museum ship would be to dry store it. That is expensive in I self but that would be a one time cost. Also, much easier to do it now than try to do it later when the hull starts deteriorating. Just look at the trouble they are having with the Texas.

NAS Miramar, stood many a line watch there. The N was a pretty bird but I didn’t know at the time how special it was. But my heart belongs to another, Tomcats FOREVER!

I was on the Kitty Hawk when I read Red Storm Rising and happened to be transiting from San Diego to Yokosuka by the northern route when I came to the part with the Backfire wave attack on the carrier up by the GIUK and it scared the crap out of me. The same method could have been used with Backfires out of Kamchatka…

My first squadron was VF-211 in 1979. I was at many of the places “Bio” talks about around the same times. As I have said before the Tomcat was one hell of an airplane and we will likely never see its like again in Naval Aviation. (AQC (AW) Ret. USN)

Did you ever thing that maybe China might ban our pork to protect their own pork industry and are blame it on drugs because they signed a trade agreement with us that said the only reason they could deign our imports is to claim health concerns? Japan did the same thing to our rice for 50 years.

I took my first photo of an Airplane at the Point Mugu Air Show in 1975. Also fell in love with the Tomcat that day and that lead to 20 years in the Navy keeping the turkey flying.

I will try and explain it. Understand I worked in Naval Aviation so my experience is closer to yours. In the Surface and Submarine Navy they don’t have enough people or space for those people to have both operators and maintainers. So the Operators and Maintainers are one and the same. Take a machinist Mate on a Gas…

I was 2 months short from retiring from the Navy after 20 years on carriers and I had hit the rack (gone to bed) early and ComNavHomPac (my wife) was still up watching TV and this commercial came on that blasted an GQ (General Quarters (Battle Stations)) alarm. I was instantly awake, out of the bed, and halfway…

Yup, it was called the Douglas F6D Missileer. It was to be outfitted with the Eagle missile and a predecessor of the AWG-9 radar.

I am intrigued by the little extensions on the taxiway that seem to indicate that they plan to build another hanger just to the west of this one. the path of the access road might indicate otherwise. Also, the drive thru nature of the hanger leads one to believe it is a big aircraft and not very maneuverable on the…

My Favorite: I’ve flushed more salt water than you’ve seen!

Very true Dusdaddy, however that, my friend, is a totally different discussion :)

As a retired Navy Chief I can definitive the say that neither a boatload, assload, or a shitton have a defined quantity. That being said, every time I dent an airman out to get me a boatload, addload, or shitton of anything, he or she always came back with the right amount.

I agree that starting around the end of the decade the balance will shift. I don’t believe that their surface fleet can survive in an environment where ALCMs and SLCMs will be abundant. I believe that the P-3, P-8 and our Attack subs can deal with their subs. The key factor will be our ability to stand off and attack…

I can’t see this coming to a shooting war. The Chinese Navy is still very weak compared to the American Naval forces it would have to face. I don’t think China is ready to confront the US. Give them 7 to 10 years when they have a more capable Navy and it will be a different story.

"But seeing as the F-35 will replace so many other aircraft, such as the F-16, supposedly the A-10, not to mention the Hornet and the Harrier, it will have to be able to provide an equal or superior capability mix."

"Ivan dosen't take a dump without a plan"

All modern ICBMs use solid fuel motors. No fueling required.

I worked IM-3 on the Constellation, Kitty Hawk, and Ranger. I ran the VAST shop on the Ranger and I know exactly what you mean.