Russia begins invasion of Ukraine - what now?

    Quote from Gina

    The answer is to start arming these places with nuclear weapons. US controled.


    Japan needs to develop nuclear weapons.


    I think with Taiwan we need to be unambiguous. None of that One nation, two systems bullshit. We need to just flat out recognize Taiwan as its own country and fuck China.

    Thank the peanut farmer


    During Jimmy Carter’s presidency, the most dramatic moment in Sino-American relations occurred on December 15, 1978, when, following months of secret negotiations, the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) announced that they would recognize one another and establish official diplomatic relations. As part of the agreement, the United States recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and declared it would withdraw diplomatic recognition from Taiwan (also known as the Republic of China [ROC]).

    Quote from wayne5

    ok, you have experience with Vietnamese and Saudis, extrapolate a comparison with Taiwanese.

    I actually have experience training pilots from all over the world. Culture makes a huge difference, stick and rudder isn't all of it. See the crash of Asiana 214.

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    The group that wants to win will always beat the group that wants to be left alone.

    Quote from Toad

    I actually have experience training pilots from all over the world. Culture makes a huge difference, stick and rudder isn't all of it. See the crash of Asiana 214.

    That make you an expert. I say again. What's your evaluation of the Taiwanese?

    I'm glad you are here to add to the conversation.

    Quote from Gina

    The answer is to start arming these places with nuclear weapons. US controled.


    Japan needs to develop nuclear weapons.


    I think with Taiwan we need to be unambiguous. None of that One nation, two systems bullshit. We need to just flat out recognize Taiwan as its own country and fuck China.

    It is interesting how similar the China - Taiwan situation is compared to the Russia - Ukraine situation. This is one reason why China will eventually join with Russia in the war.

    Quote from GeeEss

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    I can't stomach listening to that guy drone on and on for over an hour...Cliff Notes please?

    Quote from wayne5

    That make you an expert. I say again. What's your evaluation of the Taiwanese?

    I'm glad you are here to add to the conversation.

    As i said, I have not read an evaluation of their fighter pilots by US or Brit fighter pilots (pilots I would believe.) Nor have I personally evaluated any Taiwanese pilots


    I have trained Asians in general, Russians, Middle Easterners, Brits, Germans, South Americans, etc. Again I tell you culture makes a difference. Asian pilot cultures can generally quote the book to you. It's very impressive when sitting in the briefing room. Putting that knowledge into practice real time in the simulator under pressure is, well, not as impressive. Asiana 214 as the example.


    So, feel free to accept the idea that one Taiwanese F-16A Block 20 can whip 6 Su-27s in a trice. Believe what you want to believe.


    You might also want to consider that any attempt to take Taiwan would undoubtedly start with what is now called a Shock & Awe surprise attack on Command & Control as well as all Taiwanese airbases. So the other question is how many of those F-16A Blk 20s would actually be available to fight?


    BTW, the latest F-16 deliveries to the USAF were F-16C Blk 50 back in 2005. Far more capable than the Taiwanese F-16s.

    Quote from wayne5

    Old F-16 are being converted to drones. My dad worked at General Dynamics for over 40 years.

    So the Taiwanese are flying drones?


    Now as to your earlier contention that "An American trained pilot in a fourth gen is worth 10 untested Chinese."?


    I stated my actual experience that I draw upon for my _opinion_?


    Upon what do you base your quoted opinion posted in red?


    So it may be a little bravo but I think our guys are the best teachers in the world.

    Do you think my lack of experience should mean that I should not have an opinion or that my opinion should be discounted?


    When we give our opinion we are, in a way, prophesying. I dearly love prophesying and turning out to be right.

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I've given mine and what I base it upon which is basically a lifetime spent professionally flying USAF/Major Airline/Instructing Corporate Jets.


    Yours appears to be based upon the opinion that the USAF has the best flight instructors in the world. Of course the Navy guys will vehemently argue that point, but upon what do you base THAT opinion?


    AFAIK, those pilots attend the F-16 RTU course at Luke for 7 months getting 55 hours of sim time and about 80 hours of flight time. I've seen nothing indicating any other training by the USAF.


    Anyone who has done it will tell you 55 sim and 80 flight hours gives you basically a license to learn the airplane. You won't kill yourself learning more but you are by no means really an experienced combat ready pilot. The rest of the training is in Taiwan by Taiwanese instructors. Don't think anybody in Taiwan has much combat experience in the F-16.

    There's an inherent bureaucratic bias against spending money to train. The military industrial complex would rather the AF buy the new 8th generation F-1687 than spend money on maintaining the front line aircraft, training their pilots and giving both plenty of actual flight time.


    All the governments stumble here. It's just that the US stumbles a little less than everybody else.


    I recall being intercepted by Yak-28s, Su-15s, MiG-21s, MiG-23s, the then current front line fighters. In the 70s they couldn't fly wing to save their asses. Really scary; we figured the jackasses were going to run into us. OTOH, the Cubans in Mig-21s were awesome. All a matter of maintenance of aircraft, training pilots and giving them flight time. The Soviets didn't and the Cubans did. That simple.

    Rode Hard, Put Away Wet

    Edited once, last by Toad ().

    Yes, the Navy, forgot about them. The second largest Air Force in the world. The US Air Force being the first largest. My son was in the Air Force, he was a weather man at Beale AFB with the U2. He spent a year in the desert some where during the last Gulf war. He only got to call home once that year and they routed the call through Beale, collect. 20 minuets long for $80.


    I'm trying to retire. I designed electronics. I designed parts of the Armament Management System for the Kiowa Warrior. And parts of the Apache Helicopter Simulator at Bell. And a whole string of things that had nothing to do with the cover story I was given.


    My dad spent three years on a ship parked next to an island in the pacific fixing Radar and Radio equipment. He told me he only saw action once and he was asleep at the time. The ship only had one gun, a breach loader of some kind. A kamikaze showed up one morning and made a circle around the island and headed in for his run. The gunner took aim and fired his gun once and the plane exploded. My dad said if that guy had missed I most likely wouldn't exist.

    Quote from wayne5

    Yes, the Navy, forgot about them. The second largest Air Force in the world.


    That hasn't been true for a while now. With more than 3,300 aircraft the PLAAF is the second-largest air force.


    However, in terms of capability, I'd argue that the USN still is No. 2.

    The group that wants to win will always beat the group that wants to be left alone.

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