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zaphd

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Demonstration of Northrop Grumman YF-23 Black Widow II . . .

It was a beautiful fighter jet that never got the chance shine the Northrop Grumman YF-23 Black Widow II. While most people know the story of the YF-23 in its heated competition against the jet that would eventually become the F-22.
The YF-23 had better maneuverability and better range than the YF-22 which allow it to take the fight to hostile locations. Its engines were also spread out in a way to reduce radar detection and the windscreen was highly reflective in radar allowing it to remain stealthier in flight. Essentially it was an invisible jet that exceeded the capabilities of the YF-22 but never got the opportunity to serve.

“The final operational version of the F-23 would have offered much better range than the Raptor—especially at supersonic speeds—especially if powered by the YF120. That would have come in handy over the Pacific. It would also have been stealthier and it would have been almost as maneuverable as the Raptor—or possibly more so at different speeds and altitudes.”

Yes indeed. Having read Paul Metz's book on the f-23 I would say its main weakness was the weapons bay configuration with less carriage than the Raptor. Also Northrop didn't have enough time in the short flight test program to demonstrate as many capabilities as Lockheed such as weapons release and high angle of attack performance, even though the airframes were capable of it.

Hopefully 6th gen will carry on from where the YF-23 left.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
Some features may but that's all in the either. Supposedly Northrop Grumman is trying to get into a new Japanese Stealth program but don't expect that until post 2025
 

SlothmanAllen

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Registered Member
Demonstration of Northrop Grumman YF-23 Black Widow II . . .


It was a beautiful fighter jet that never got the chance shine the Northrop Grumman YF-23 Black Widow II. While most people know the story of the YF-23 in its heated competition against the jet that would eventually become the F-22.
The YF-23 had better maneuverability and better range than the YF-22 which allow it to take the fight to hostile locations. Its engines were also spread out in a way to reduce radar detection and the windscreen was highly reflective in radar allowing it to remain stealthier in flight. Essentially it was an invisible jet that exceeded the capabilities of the YF-22 but never got the opportunity to serve.

“The final operational version of the F-23 would have offered much better range than the Raptor—especially at supersonic speeds—especially if powered by the YF120. That would have come in handy over the Pacific. It would also have been stealthier and it would have been almost as maneuverable as the Raptor—or possibly more so at different speeds and altitudes.”

What blows me away about the F-22A and YF-23 is that the fly off between them took place 27 years ago! Both of those planes are still the most advanced fighter aircraft to ever take flight almost 30 years later. Quite an achievement!
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
What blows me away about the F-22A and YF-23 is that the fly off between them took place 27 years ago! Both of those planes are still the most advanced fighter aircraft to ever take flight almost 30 years later. Quite an achievement!
Not quite. The YF22 and YF23 are vastly different from the F22, same for the X35 and F35s. IT's like a concept car. it looks alike and may even drive but otherwise it's got no guts. the electronics are lacking. There are no mission systems.
 
gosh
Donald Trump Actually Considered Invading Venezuela Last Year
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Trump first floated the idea at a meeting in the Oval Office while discussing sanctions on Venezuela.

When Venezuela descended into political
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last August, Donald Trump’s public reaction was to float a
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which could have meant an invasion and the removal of the South American country’s president Nicolás Maduro from power.

While the remark, which was made to reporters on August 11, was otherwise ignored as empty, improvised bluster—usual Trump talk—a
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(July 5) by AP revealed that he was deadly serious. This was because he repeatedly brought up the so-called military option in private as well as in public.

Trump first floated the idea on August 10, at a meeting in the Oval Office with high-level aides, including secretary of state Rex Tillerson and national security adviser H. R. McMaster. When discussing sanctions on Venezuela, he asked why the US couldn’t just invade the country. Trump even provided some historical references, the AP says, like the US-led invasion of Grenada in 1983, under Ronald Reagan, and of Panama in 1989, under George H. W. Bush.

Officials at the meeting tried to explain to the former reality TV host why invasion was not an option—it could backfire and it could reduce US popularity in the region,
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—but Trump insisted.

When he made the remarks public the next day, he was criticized by the Mercosur bloc and US partner Colombia, as well as startled Venezuelan officials. Defense minister Vladimir López called it an act of “extremism” and “madness.”

Later that month, Trump brought the plan up again in a meeting with Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos. And he even floated the option again in September during an encounter with Santos and three other Latin American presidents—countering the explicit advice from aides not to mention the idea. The Latin American leaders all reportedly refused the suggestion.

Besides the obvious legal and ethical questions, an invasion of Venezuela would likely be exploited by some Latin American leaders and could further harm the US reputation in the region.
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. The Venezuelan president referenced Trump’s remarks in a military ceremony on Wednesday (July 4), and asked Venezuela’s armed forces to be on guard.
 
Jun 13, 2018
Friday at 8:44 PM
a summary inside
Key lawmaker in favor of JSTARS recap cancellation, movement to alternate approach
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and
Air Force quietly, and reluctantly, pushing JSTARS recap source selection ahead
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on the fate of the JSTARS recap program, but behind the scenes, the Air Force is quietly taking steps that will allow them to award a contract for a program that
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.

The service received final proposal revisions for the JSTARS recap program on June 22, confirmed Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Emily Grabowski in a statement to Defense News.

“The Air Force wants to be postured to move forward with JSTARS recap, if required. Therefore, we are continuing source selection while we continue to work with Congress on the way forward,” Grabowski said in a statement.

Usually, the government solicits final proposals and pricing information from competitors just weeks before making a final downselect. Thus, if Congress decides to force the Air Force to continue on with the program, it’s likely the service will be able to award a contract in very short order.

The Air Force began the JSTARS recap program as an effort to replace its aging E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System ground surveillance planes with new aircraft and a more capable radar. The initial plan was to buy 17 new JSTARS recap jets from either
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, Lockheed Martin or
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.

However, the service announced during February’s fiscal year 2019 budget rollout that it preferred to cancel the JSTARS recap program and fund an “Advanced Battle Management System” that would upgrade and link together existing aircraft and drones, allowing them to do the JSTARS mission.

The Air Force’s continued source selection efforts are necessary due to Congress, which is split on the issue of whether to continue to the program.

Both Senate defense committees have sided with the Air Force, and would allow it to kill JSTARS recap as long as it continues to fund the current JSTARS fleet. The Senate version of the defense spending bill also includes an additional $375 million to accelerate the ABMS concept with additional MQ-9 Reapers and other technologies.

Meanwhile, the
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would force the Air Force to award an engineering and manufacturing development contract for JSTARS recap to one of the three competitors, which had been valued at $6.9 billion. However, some lawmakers have said
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to bridge the way until ABMS is fielded.

“All of the committees understand the need for moving to the advanced battle management system,” Gen. Mike Holmes, head of Air Combat Command, told reporters in June. “If there are disagreements between the committees, it’s about whether we can move straight to that and hold onto our legacy JSTARS as a way to bridge until we do that, or do we need to do one more recap of that system”

The timing of final proposal revisions actually puts source selection for JSTARS recap ahead of that of the still ongoing T-X trainer jet program,
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.

However, Congress will likely need time to resolve the JSTARS recap issue — meaning a contract decision is far from imminent. The House and Senate armed services committees began the conference process in June, which could allow them to reconcile differences in the defense policy bill as early as this summer.

However, only appropriations bills can be used to fund government programs like JSTARS recap, and spending legislation could be stuck in limbo for months past that.

If deliberations stretch out, “the Air Force will continue to assess contract award timelines and approvals. If necessary, the Air Force will request an extension of proposal validity or updated pricing as appropriate,” Grabowski said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to debate the case in the public eye.

In a July 3 editorial for The Telegraph, Republican Rep. Austin Scott, one of the biggest proponents of the recap program, argued that it would be more economical to proceed with JSTARS recap than to continue to do extensive depot maintenance on the legacy aircraft.

“After 10 years of work, the Air Force is considering canceling the JSTARS recap program,” wrote Scott, whose district in Georgia is home to Robins Air Force base, where the JSTARS aircraft reside. “Their arguments do not take into account the significantly improved capabilities and increased capacity that the new aircraft will provide. The Air Force has ignored its own assessments in their recommendation for cancellation.”
 
Saturday at 3:51 PM
gosh
Donald Trump Actually Considered Invading Venezuela Last Year
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related:
Trump pressed aides on Venezuela invasion, US official says
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As a meeting last August in the Oval Office to discuss sanctions on Venezuela was concluding, President Donald Trump turned to his top aides and asked an unsettling question: With a fast unraveling Venezuela threatening regional security, why can’t the U.S. just simply invade the troubled country?

The suggestion stunned those present at the meeting, including
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and
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r, both of whom have since left the administration. This account of the previously undisclosed conversation comes from a senior administration official familiar with what was said.

In an exchange that lasted around five minutes, McMaster and others took turns explaining to Trump how military action could backfire and risk losing hard-won support among Latin American governments to punish President Nicolas Maduro for taking Venezuela down the path of dictatorship, according to the official. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.

But Trump pushed back. Although he gave no indication he was about to order up military plans, he pointed to what he considered past cases of successful gunboat diplomacy in the region, according to the official, like the invasions of Panama and Grenada in the 1980s.

The idea, despite his aides’ best attempts to shoot it down, would nonetheless persist in the president’s head.

The next day, Aug. 11, Trump alarmed friends and foes alike with talk of a “military option” to remove Maduro from power. The public remarks were initially dismissed in U.S. policy circles as the sort of martial bluster people have come to expect from the reality TV star turned commander in chief.

But shortly afterward, he raised the issue with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, according to the U.S. official. Two high-ranking Colombian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing Trump confirmed the report.

Then in September, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump discussed it again, this time at greater length, in a private dinner with leaders from four Latin American allies that included Santos, the same three people said and Politico reported in February.

The U.S. official said Trump was specifically briefed not to raise the issue and told it wouldn’t play well, but the first thing the president said at the dinner was, “My staff told me not to say this.” Trump then went around asking each leader if they were sure they didn’t want a military solution, according to the official, who added that each leader told Trump in clear terms they were sure.

Eventually, McMaster would pull aside the president and walk him through the dangers of an invasion, the official said.

Taken together, the behind-the-scenes talks, the extent and details of which have not been previously reported, highlight how Venezuela’s political and economic crisis has received top attention under Trump in a way that was unimaginable in the Obama administration. But critics say it also underscores how his “America First” foreign policy at times can seem outright reckless, providing ammunition to America’s adversaries.

The White House declined to comment on the private conversations. But a National Security Council spokesman reiterated that the U.S. will consider all options at its disposal to help restore Venezuela’s democracy and bring stability. Under Trump’s leadership, the U.S., Canada and European Union have levied sanctions on dozens of top Venezuelan officials, including Maduro himself, over allegations of corruption, drug trafficking and human rights abuses. The U.S. has also distributed more than $30 million to help Venezuela’s neighbors absorb an influx of more than 1 million migrants who have fled the country.

Trump’s bellicose talk provided the unpopular leader with an immediate if short-lived boost as he was trying to escape blame for widespread food shortages and hyperinflation. Within days of the president’s talk of a military option, Maduro filled the streets of Caracas with loyalists to condemn “Emperor” Trump’s belligerence, ordered up nationwide military exercises and threatened with arrest opponents he said were plotting his overthrow with the U.S.

On Wednesday, Maduro cited the AP’s article to reaffirm his long-standing claim that the U.S. has military designs on Venezuela and its vast oil reserves. At a military promotion ceremony in Caracas, he called on troops to remain vigilant, criticizing what he called the “supremacist and criminal vision of those who govern the U.S.”

“A military intervention on the part of the U.S. empire will never be a solution to Venezuela’s problems,” he said.

Even some of the staunchest U.S. allies were begrudgingly forced to side with Maduro in condemning Trump’s saber rattling. Santos, a big backer of U.S. attempts to isolate Maduro, said an invasion would have zero support in the region. The Mercosur trade bloc, which includes Brazil and Argentina, issued a statement saying “the only acceptable means of promoting democracy are dialogue and diplomacy” and repudiating “any option that implies the use of force.”

But among Venezuela’s beleaguered opposition movement, hostility to the idea of a military intervention has slowly eased.

A few weeks after Trump’s public comments, Harvard economics professor Ricardo Hausmann, a former Venezuelan planning minister, wrote a syndicated column titled “D Day Venezuela,” in which he called for a “coalition of the willing” made up of regional powers and the U.S. to step in and support militarily a government appointed by the opposition-led national assembly.

Mark Feierstein, who oversaw Latin America on the National Security Council during the Obama administration, said that strident U.S. action on Venezuela, however commendable, won’t loosen Maduro’s grip on power if it’s not accompanied by pressure from the streets. However, he thinks Venezuelans have largely been demoralized after a crackdown on protests last year triggered dozens of deaths, and the threat of more repression has forced dozens of opposition leaders into exile.

“People inside and outside the administration know they can ignore plenty of what Trump says,” Feierstein, who is now a senior adviser at the Albright Stonebridge Group, said of Trump’s talk of military invasion of Venezuela. “The concern is that it raised expectations among Venezuelans, many of whom are waiting for an external actor to save them.”
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
Couple weird things in the Army that may be related. first
Solicitation Number:
W15QKN-18-R-02N4
Notice Type:
Special Notice

Synopsis:
Added: Jun 06, 2018 2:38 pm
The U.S. Army Contracting Command - New Jersey (ACC-NJ), on behalf of Project Manager (PM)- Soldier Weapons (SW), intends to make the following Firm Fixed Price contract awards, on sole source basis, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106(b)(1). This contemplated sole source contract will include the procurement of commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) Sub Compact Weapons (SCW). The SCW is a highly concealable sub compact weapon system capable of engaging threat personnel with a high volume of lethal and accurate fires at close range with minimal collateral damage. An SCW includes but is not limited to functional weapon, magazines, cleaning kits, suppressors, specialized tool kit (if required), spare parts, slings, carrying cases, manuals.
The acquisition of the SCW is essential in meeting the agency's requirement to support Product Manager, Individual Weapons mission to assess commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) SCWs in order to fill a capability gap in lethality and concealability. The SCW are being procured for further evaluation and testing. This evaluation will help to inform current capabilities for the Capability Production Document for the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence. Currently, Personal Security Detail (PSD) military personnel utilize pistols and rifles, however, there is an operational need for additional concealability and lethality. Failure to provide the selected SCW for assessment and evaluation will leave PSD military personnel with a capability gap which can result in increased war fighter casualties and jeopardize the success of the U.S. mission.
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So the US Army had launched a program looking for a new 9mm Sub machine gun. This is a bit weird as generally Sub guns are now considered in western military circles as Anachronistic and Obsolete. The Requirement also basically nailed down only one reason for use that being PSDs Personal Security Detachments are basically bodyguards for high ranking officials. on the 15th of June They announced 10 weapons for evaluation. Colt Modular 9mm Sub Compact Weapon, Beretta PMX, CMMG Ultra PDW, CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1, Lewis Machine & Tool Company for MARS-L9 Compact Suppressed Weapon, PTR 9CS, SIG SAUER MPX, B&T MP9, Zenith Firearms for Z-5RS, Z-5P and Z-5K ( basically MP5 Clones), HK UMP9, Angstadt UDP-9 and Noveske for a unknown model.
and then on the second of July
Solicitation Number:
W15QKN-18-R-02N4
Notice Type:
Modification/Amendment

Synopsis:
Added: Jul 02, 2018 4:46 pm
This Synopsis of Contract Award is amended on 02 July 2018 to notify industry that due to changes in the Government's requirement, this opportunity is hereby cancelled effective immediately.
The Government is in the process of establishing new requirements for the Sub Compact Weapon Program and will announce the changes on fbo.gov within the next two weeks.

At the same time another Solicitation opens.
The U.S. Army Contracting Command-New Jersey, on behalf of PM Soldier Weapons, intends to solicit, negotiate, and award a sole source contract to Sig Sauer pursuant to the authority of title 10 United States Code (U.S.C) Section 2304 ( c ) (1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This contemplated sole source contract is for is for the purchase and delivery of the commercially available various Sig Sauer Systems (firearms), namely the SP2022, MPX, and the MCX along with silencers and associated accessories to include magazines and spare parts. The contemplated effort will be a Firm Fixed Priced (FFP) Purchase Order to be completed once the kits are delivered 14 days after award. Sig Sauer was the only company identified through market research that could provide the necessary various Sig Sauer Systems (firearms), namely the SP2022, MPX, and the MCX along with silencers and associated accessories to include magazines and spare parts which met the Government's requirements for a Commercial off the Shelf (COTS).
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Now they may be unrelated but If the Army was looking for a PDW class compact weapon in either 9mm or better .300 blk or 5.56x45mm the MPX and MCX fit the bill nicely.
 
it's the SDF here, so:
The Next B-52 Bomb Upgrade May Be a Tough Message for China
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U.S.
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officials are looking to upgrade the
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' bomb load at a time when the service, and the Defense Department as a whole, is preparing for near-peer rivals.

The service last month posted a request for information survey to identify potential contractors that could offer insights on how to best integrate newer and much heavier bombs under the aircraft's wings.

Given that the aircraft is expected to fly for another 30 years, the potential upgrade -- part of the Heavy Weapon Release Pylon Program -- speaks to the Air Force's initiative to stay ahead of emerging threats, particularly aggressors in the Pacific, according to a service official.

"This is not a requirement that came out of nowhere," the service official told Military.com on background Monday. "There are compelling reasons for why we have to go down that road."

While specific munitions haven't been advertised, the goal is to quadruple the bomb size. Officials want pylons "capable of carrying multiple weapons in the 5,000-lb to 20,000-pound weight class,"
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. The current common pylon maximum is for 5,000-pound munitions.

The external pylon "was designed in 1959 and has been in service since the 1960s. When it was introduced, there wasn't a requirement nor did anyone foresee a need to carry weapons heavier than 5000 lbs," the RFI states.

Now that's changed, the official said.

"
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," the service official said, referencing the Defense Department's latest National Defense Strategy.

According to the 2018 NDS, "China is a strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing features in the South China Sea.

"It is increasingly clear that China and Russia want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model -- gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic and security decisions," the NDS says.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has on multiple occasions referenced China's quick pace in technological development, which is driving the service to react. There has been explicit recognition "of the re-emergence of great power competition," she has said.

"[China] is modernizing very quickly. They're modernizing their air defenses, but also their air-to-air capability is really modernizing across the board. It is the pacing threat for the U.S. Air Force because of the pace of their modernization,"
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.

The official also pointed to the bomber road map, which enhances the B-52 aircraft as a whole.

The
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its fiscal 2019 budget rollout, which aims to allocate more resources for the nuclear-capable BUFF, or "Big Ugly Fat Fellow."

The Air Force is pushing for
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as it intends to keep the long-range B-52 flying into the 2050s.

The B-52 is no stranger to the Pacific.
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for the
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at
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, Guam.

The move marked a significant shift to bring back the
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, which previously filled the continuous bomber presence mission from 2006 to 2016 before the B-1 briefly took over.

Bringing the B-52 back meant putting a nuclear-capable bomber in theater at a time when relations between the U.S. and North Korea were largely unpredictable, and as China continued to flex its muscles in the South China Sea.

The B-52 in recent weeks
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as tensions over the man-made territory remain high.

Last month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said there could be repercussions for China if it doesn't curtail its expansion and aggressive behavior in the region.

"It was time to say there's a consequence to this,"
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.

Weeks earlier,
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from the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, known as RIMPAC, the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise.

"Nothing wrong with competition, nothing wrong with having strong positions, but when it comes down to introducing what they have done in the South China Sea, there are consequences," Mattis said.

As for the B-52 bomb pylon upgrade, the program is in the early stages.

The RFI "is only for market research of possible contractor sources," said Stephen Palmer, a contracting officer with Air Force Life Cycle Management Center who specializes in the
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and B-52 programs at
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, Oklahoma.

"[We] are not asking for any contractor to provide a proposal at this time," he said in an email.
 
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