Is the AF bring properly managed or does it have the proper oversight?
Attack: The F-22 was bought in fewer numbers than planned, the F-35 program is in trouble, A-10C's will extend out to 2020 and many of the F-16's and F-15's are planned to be gone by then, so what will the AF do for an actual air force?
Cargo: The -130J is slowly making its way onto the scene, but the C-17 program will have issues in 15-20 years as the GWOT takes a full decade or more off of the planned life cycle of the air frames. The C-5M program has quietly wallowed around in "testing" for at least a decade now at a point in airlift is highly sought after. AFSOC is hurting so badly they went out and purchased civilian Pilatus PC-12's for resupply missions in Afghanistan, several squadron's worth.
Tanker: The Tanker-X or KC-X program is another one in serious trouble and poor management.
CSAR: The AF has a history of shitting on CSAR and now the CSAR-X debacle?
ISR: UAVs are the "in" thing, but even when those arent' enough the AF managed to push through the MC-12 aircraft. While not revolutionary, they still managed to field squadrons of them in just a few years using mostly COTS equipment.
Given all of the above, is AF leadership doing a good job to prepare us for a larger conflict or even a small war like Afghanistan and Iraq (And Somalia x 2 and Panama and Grenada.....)?
FWIW, I had a long, detailed post thought out, but I wanted to start the discussion and can expand my argument later if anyone reads this thread.
Attack: The F-22 was bought in fewer numbers than planned, the F-35 program is in trouble, A-10C's will extend out to 2020 and many of the F-16's and F-15's are planned to be gone by then, so what will the AF do for an actual air force?
Cargo: The -130J is slowly making its way onto the scene, but the C-17 program will have issues in 15-20 years as the GWOT takes a full decade or more off of the planned life cycle of the air frames. The C-5M program has quietly wallowed around in "testing" for at least a decade now at a point in airlift is highly sought after. AFSOC is hurting so badly they went out and purchased civilian Pilatus PC-12's for resupply missions in Afghanistan, several squadron's worth.
Tanker: The Tanker-X or KC-X program is another one in serious trouble and poor management.
CSAR: The AF has a history of shitting on CSAR and now the CSAR-X debacle?
ISR: UAVs are the "in" thing, but even when those arent' enough the AF managed to push through the MC-12 aircraft. While not revolutionary, they still managed to field squadrons of them in just a few years using mostly COTS equipment.
Given all of the above, is AF leadership doing a good job to prepare us for a larger conflict or even a small war like Afghanistan and Iraq (And Somalia x 2 and Panama and Grenada.....)?
FWIW, I had a long, detailed post thought out, but I wanted to start the discussion and can expand my argument later if anyone reads this thread.