The Greatest Fighter Jet of All Time.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by syscom3

Well, if its flying from carriers with catapults, then we dont need it. Might as well use F18's.

Not if it was launched with it's full load, performs a strike, and completes it's sortie at a 200' forward air strip - an F-18 ain't doing that!!!!

The aircraft has attributes that kept it around for 30 years and it's proponents still out weigh it opponents, dispite it's limitations. As we speak the Marines (NAVAIR) is still getting funding for numerous mods and improvements that will keep this aircraft around for several more years, probably until the F-35 comes on line. Say and believe what you might think of the Harrier, if it was the dog you claim it to be it would of been gone many years ago....

Here: http://www.navair.navy.mil/clo/GetDocFile.CFM?DID=1427

[lesofprimus]

The A10 can also be refueled in the air, plus it has far longer loiter time/range so a tanker isnt wasted.

A-10's dont fly off aircraft carriers..........

[syscom3]

The politics of weapons sytems in the US is amazing. Just because its funded, doesnt mean its good. And if its one thing the marines are good at, its getting funded.

A10 cant be flown off a carrier? Well the harrier dont carry the variety and payload an A10 has either.

And the F18 is both a good fighter and bomber. Far more versatile than the Harrier.

[102first_hussars]

Either way, until the new JSF comes out it is easy to say that all around the Harrier is the best naval aircraft at least, simply because it can get off the carrier deck quick enough to intercept enemy planes.

[102first_hussars]

Originally Posted by syscom3

The politics of weapons sytems in the US is amazing. Just because its funded, doesnt mean its good. And if its one thing the marines are good at, its getting funded.

A10 cant be flown off a carrier? Well the harrier dont carry the variety and payload an A10 has either.

And the F18 is both a good fighter and bomber. Far more versatile than the Harrier.

the f-18 has be know to break into a flat spin trying to do certain manouvers the Harrier does very well, and the durability of the F-18's Tail Wing is another question that makes me question why the canadian airforce bought 1200 of those planes.

[syscom3]

1200 or 120?

And I think that even though the Harrier might be quick off the deck in some circumstances, once an F18 or F14D hits the afterburner, the Harrier is fast left behind.

[102first_hussars]

Originally Posted by syscom3

1200 or 120?

And I think that even though the Harrier might be quick off the deck in some circumstances, once an F18 or F14D hits the afterburner, the Harrier is fast left behind.

we had 1200 but we scrapped abunch of them cuz apparently we dont have enough pilots to fly them, so we are left with 120 but we are scrapping more pisses me off.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Well lets see take this from a Helicopter Maintainer and Crew Chief in the US Army right now. The Apache is a major maintenanance problem all the time. I have seen them in action when they supported my Blackhawks on missions. The Apache is great when it is in the air but it is a piece of ****. That is one reason why our 160th SOAR does not use the Apache but rather the MH-60's with Hellfires and Miniguns because it is a much better aircraft than the damn Apache.

Sorry for all you people up there that think the Apache is a great sollution and better than a Harrier. You are wrong and dont know what you are talking about. Trust me I know. FlyboyJ is also correct when he says it has a high maintenance to flight hour ratio. It is almost 8 hours of maintenance for every flight hour. Compared to the Blackhawks 1 Hour for every 1 Hour of flight time.

Also if the Harrier was so bad then why dont the Marines replace theres with the Apache. I know the Marine Harriers I saw in Iraq were doing a mighty fine job.

CC the Apache you are talking about was when I was in Iraq and they were supporting an Air Assault mission that I was flying. The AK's round penetrated the Oil Cooler and it went down. Fortunatly the crew was safe and not injured. Later a Chinook slung load it out. My friend has video footage of it all.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

And if the Harrier isnt going to be used in a VTOL mode, then what is its rationale

STOL, how many fixed wing combat aircraft can take off in less than 100ft from a standing start?

and everyone here has already told you how maintenance hungry the apache is, not to mention its cost........

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

and everyone here has already told you how maintenance hungry the apache is, not to mention its cost........

Helicopters are typically expensive to fly anyhow. The Apache is just worse because of it maintenance record and besides the fact that they crash a lot.

Someone here quoted something about Apaches having problems in Afganistan. Even though I do not like the Apache it is not just the Apache that is having problems there but every aircraft. The Higher Altitudes there mean that the aircraft has less power because of the denser air in the mountains. Less power means you can not do the maneuvers that you can make at lower alltitudes or lower temperatures and for that reason helicopters are crashing in Afganistan. It has nothing to do with the Apache but all helicopters in general.

[Glider]

DerAlder. The observation about operating at altitude was mine and I do agree that its a general problem.
In the observation I did say 'that like a lot of helicopters the Apache' I didn't try to imply that it was only a problem with the Apache.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I am sorry if I came across that way I was not trying to imply that is what you were saying. I was just making a general statement.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by 102first_hussars

the durability of the F-18's Tail Wing is another question that makes me question why the canadian airforce bought 1200 of those planes.

That's been long corrected

Originally Posted by syscom3

And if its one thing the marines are good at, its getting funded.

And there I will say you're flat out wrong. The Marines traditionally got Navy leftovers and until changes were made at NAVAIR, this was the status quo. The results of those changes are the AV-8, the V-22 and now a Marine as the JCS Chairman....

[Nonskimmer]

Huss, we never had 1200 F-18's. We started out with something like 138 of them. Most of them are the A model, but there are a few B's in there as well.

[FLYBOYJ]

Yep!