3 ms·

The DoD (or at least the US Air Force) has been very aware Boeing can't deliver for a long time, between the KC-46 tanker and its inability to refuel, the F-15E

The DoD (or at least the US Air Force) has been very aware Boeing can't deliver for a long time, between the KC-46 tanker and its inability to refuel, the F-15EX Eagle II and its failing to deliver on marketing promises, the V-22 Osprey and its many crashes including the most recent in November that led to a grounding across the services, and more. If this is a move to give Boeing's competitors (eg: Lockheed Martin, SpaceX) more bidding power, I welcome it.

tomcam 3y ago
How can these failures happen so routinely? Whenever I think about the billions of dollars to go into these programs I always imagine that they go through multiple iterative prototypes so that they have something working at all times. It seems to me that would be a way to improve the chances of success at a likely higher cost to start with. But the department of defense does not ever seem to care about cost anyway.
- dylan604 3y ago
  There are plenty of examples of military leadership not wanting a program, but Congress shoves it down their throats. So it's not always as simple as it seems with an appearance of DoD not caring. It is a consequence of design by committee.
  - tomcam 3y ago
    Crap, I did forget about that. Thanks
signatoremo 3y ago
> KC-46 tanker and its inability to refuel Where do you get this? KC46 problem is not because it can’t refuel. > F-15EX Eagle II and its failing to deliver on marketing promises Which promises? It’s supposed to be a missile truck, working in conjunction with F35, and it works well in that role. > V-22 Osprey and its many crashes including the most recent in November that led to a grounding across the services It’s called Bell Boeing V22 for a reason. Bell is the lead vendor and Boeing is the secondary. It was a Bell’s design. Bell Valor 280 which is a new tilt rotor design won FLRAA contract last year. Boeing make Chinook helicopter, well known for its reliability.
- Dalewyn 3y ago
  >Where do you get this? KC46 problem is not because it can’t refuel. It has had constant problems with its digital camera system for the refueling boom, which effectively means the tanker can't refuel. >Which promises? It’s supposed to be a missile truck, The F-15EX was touted to carry 22 (or was it 21?) missiles. However, nearly half of that is dependent on pylons located on the conformal fuel tanks. Guess what happened? Boeing can't figure out how to install the conformal fuel tanks. Fuel tanks that the F-15E has been using for literally decades. >It’s called Bell Boeing V22 for a reason. So? It's Boeing. It crashes. It's grounded. Entire flight crews have died, emphasis on plural.

tomcam 3y ago

How can these failures happen so routinely? Whenever I think about the billions of dollars to go into these programs I always imagine that they go through multiple iterative prototypes so that they have something working at all times. It seems to me that would be a way to improve the chances of success at a likely higher cost to start with. But the department of defense does not ever seem to care about cost anyway.

dylan604 3y ago
There are plenty of examples of military leadership not wanting a program, but Congress shoves it down their throats. So it's not always as simple as it seems with an appearance of DoD not caring. It is a consequence of design by committee.
- tomcam 3y ago
  Crap, I did forget about that. Thanks

signatoremo 3y ago

> KC-46 tanker and its inability to refuel Where do you get this? KC46 problem is not because it can’t refuel. > F-15EX Eagle II and its failing to deliver on marketing promises Which promises? It’s supposed to be a missile truck, working in conjunction with F35, and it works well in that role. > V-22 Osprey and its many crashes including the most recent in November that led to a grounding across the services It’s called Bell Boeing V22 for a reason. Bell is the lead vendor and Boeing is the secondary. It was a Bell’s design. Bell Valor 280 which is a new tilt rotor design won FLRAA contract last year. Boeing make Chinook helicopter, well known for its reliability.

Dalewyn 3y ago
>Where do you get this? KC46 problem is not because it can’t refuel. It has had constant problems with its digital camera system for the refueling boom, which effectively means the tanker can't refuel. >Which promises? It’s supposed to be a missile truck, The F-15EX was touted to carry 22 (or was it 21?) missiles. However, nearly half of that is dependent on pylons located on the conformal fuel tanks. Guess what happened? Boeing can't figure out how to install the conformal fuel tanks. Fuel tanks that the F-15E has been using for literally decades. >It’s called Bell Boeing V22 for a reason. So? It's Boeing. It crashes. It's grounded. Entire flight crews have died, emphasis on plural.