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From: wku_unix!kinney@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mark A. Kinney)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: C-17, F-14 vs FA-18
Message-ID: <1991Mar18.132459.14027@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 18 Mar 91 13:24:59 GMT
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From: Mark A. Kinney <wku_unix!kinney@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>
This is regarding Henry Spencer's post about the C-17:

	In my AFJROTC class last year I was an "Air Force Now!" film with a clip
 about the C-17. Among other things, it's supposed to be able to carry tanks, a
and employ LAPES (Low Altitude Parachute Ejection System - for the uninformed,
the strap a drag chute to the cargo and shove it out the back). I don't know it
if the C-5 has a back cargo door, but if they don't (I don't remember) then I'd
think the pilots would be extremely unhappy if you opened up the nose and s
started shoving stuff out. (Grammer note: the "was" in the first sentence should
say "saw")

This is regarding Scott Silvey's reply to my "Aircraft Answers" post.

	I read an editorial in the Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky) a few
months ago saying that someone important (I don't remember who) was considering
replacing the F-14 with the FA-18. They came up with the same points you did.
	Also, the official word has been that strategic recon will now be
carried out with satellites. While I like the Keyholes, they just aren't always
in the same place at the same time, and when they wear out you need to send up
new ones. After you buy a recon plane, you only have fuel and maintainence costs
to worry about, and they'll go pretty much wherever you need them. An article
in and "Air Combat" magazine (can't remember the date, but the cover story...)
had an article about the SR-71 decommisioning. It didn't even *speculate* a
ground based replacement like the Aurora project is supposed to be.
(Another grammer note: replace "same" with "right"-my brain is on spring break
already :) )

Mark Kinney
kinney@wku.edu