Comments on: U-2 Flights Likely Over Haiti; Predator May Go http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/ Online Defense and Acquisition Journal Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:34:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Guesthttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18910 Guest Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:16:55 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18910 Regarding the B-52's. How about just putting bombbays in a boing 777 maybe? It's not like the b52 have that much survivability against an advanced enemy anyway. Use B2's and B1's against those and then take in the heavy punders afterwards. Regarding the B-52’s. How about just putting bombbays in a boing 777 maybe? It’s not like the b52 have that much survivability against an advanced enemy anyway. Use B2’s and B1’s against those and then take in the heavy punders afterwards.

]]> By: Trophyhttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18713 Trophy Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:20:37 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18713 Maybe not the price of the actual airframe, but more like the price of the entire system. Maybe not the price of the actual airframe, but more like the price of the entire system.

]]> By: Trophyhttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18709 Trophy Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:14:59 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18709 The Global Hawk program is still not completely online. Currently the U-2's specific capabilities are actually meant for the Global Hawk, with the U-2 being the testbed until the Global Hawk is ready for them. The Block 20 Global Hawks are just being delivered, however they are still not ready to completely take over the U-2's mission profile. The Global Hawk program is still not completely online. Currently the U-2’s specific capabilities are actually meant for the Global Hawk, with the U-2 being the testbed until the Global Hawk is ready for them. The Block 20 Global Hawks are just being delivered, however they are still not ready to completely take over the U-2’s mission profile.

]]> By: Drake1http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18708 Drake1 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:58:04 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18708 If the Global Hawk is to be the successor of the U2, why does it not have the full complement of sensors the U2 does. Can we chalk this up to the still incomplete testing of the Global Hawk platform? If the Global Hawk is to be the successor of the U2, why does it not have the full complement of sensors the U2 does. Can we chalk this up to the still incomplete testing of the Global Hawk platform?

]]> By: Chollahttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18701 Cholla Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:10:52 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18701 A GH does NOT cost $135M a piece as quoted in the article. A GH does NOT cost $135M a piece as quoted in the article.

]]> By: Cereushttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18669 Cereus Sat, 16 Jan 2010 12:35:54 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18669 What a waste of an already overtaxed resource. What a waste of an already overtaxed resource.

]]> By: Trophyhttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18662 Trophy Sat, 16 Jan 2010 06:24:49 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18662 The airframes are pretty much pushed to the limits and are living on borrowed time. The U-2 in particular has old components that are no longer being manufactured because it is no longer profitable for the manufacturers to make them (especially being of very outdated technology), and will have to have those components cannibalized from other airframes, reducing the operating fleet. To have new parts designed and ordered would be too costly, as there are not enough airframes, too much bureaucratic red-tape, too much reliability, operating, and maintenance testing involved to make it profitable for any company to make the parts without a very high price mark-up. It's a hard-sell to justify investing the time, manpower and cash for such parts when the current gamble is that the Global Hawk will be fully on-line by the time the U-2 fleet is no longer sustainable. The airframes are pretty much pushed to the limits and are living on borrowed time.

The U-2 in particular has old components that are no longer being manufactured because it is no longer profitable for the manufacturers to make them (especially being of very outdated technology), and will have to have those components cannibalized from other airframes, reducing the operating fleet. To have new parts designed and ordered would be too costly, as there are not enough airframes, too much bureaucratic red-tape, too much reliability, operating, and maintenance testing involved to make it profitable for any company to make the parts without a very high price mark-up. It’s a hard-sell to justify investing the time, manpower and cash for such parts when the current gamble is that the Global Hawk will be fully on-line by the time the U-2 fleet is no longer sustainable.

]]> By: Zachhttp://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18656 Zach Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:07:11 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18656 Both needing a massive upgrade, if not a all new craft. :) Both needing a massive upgrade, if not a all new craft. :)

]]> By: William C.http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/01/14/military-tech-heads-to-haiti/#comment-18651 William C. Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:36:18 +0000 http://www.dodbuzz.com/?p=12392#comment-18651 It seems as if the B-52 is the only aircraft still flying that has a service history comparable to the U-2. It seems as if the B-52 is the only aircraft still flying that has a service history comparable to the U-2.

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