American Gripen The Solution to the F-35 Nightmare David Archibald American Gripen: The Solution to the F-35 Nightmare Also by David Archibald Twilight of Abundance: Why Life in the 21st Century Will Be Nasty, Brutish, and Short © 2016 David Archibald All Rights Reserved Print ISBN 978-1-941071-53-3 ebook ISBN 978-1-941071-54-0 This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. STAIRWAY PRESS—LAS VEGAS Cover Design by Guy D. Corp www.GrafixCorp.com www.StairwayPress.com 848 North Rainbow Blvd #5015 Las Vegas, NV 89107 USA Acknowledgements My wonderful journey of service continues with this book. I have many to thank for help along the way, not limited to Joseph Poprzeczny, Bob Foster, Ray Evans, David Bellamy, Anthony Watts, Myron Ebell, Vaclav Klaus, Marek Chodakiewicz, Stefan Bjorklund, Stephen Harper, Kathleen Linger and Ky Cao. To all, many thanks. Contents Preface ....................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................ 8 Born Of a Yak .............................................................23 Fighter Aircraft Design ..................................................31 Design Considerations ................................................35 How To Win In Air-To-Air Combat ..............................49 Sentient Bomb Truck ....................................................54 3.1 Introduction ...................................................54 3.2 Basing ..........................................................62 3.3 Temperature ..................................................63 3.4 Engine ..........................................................65 3.5 Acquisition Cost ..............................................67 3.6 Operating Cost ...............................................67 3.7 Distributed Aperture System—Electro Optical Targeting System ......................................................69 3.8 Maneuverability ..............................................70 3.9 Maintenance...................................................73 3.10 Pilot Training ..............................................73 3.11 Noise ........................................................74 3.12 Helmet ......................................................74 3.13 Injury on Ejection .........................................75 3.14 Block Buy Contract .......................................76 3.15 Verification Simulation ..................................79 Why Not The F-16? ......................................................88 What’s Wrong with the Raptor? .......................................97 Enter The Gripen ....................................................... 117 6.1 The Value Proposition .................................... 117 6.2 In The Beginning ........................................... 122 6.3 Gripen E ..................................................... 124 The Economics of Fire Support ...................................... 131 7.1 The Two Types of War from Here ..................... 131 7.2 The History of Air Support ............................... 142 7.3 Artillery ...................................................... 152 1 American Gripen 7.4 Longer Range Fire ......................................... 157 7.5 The Cost Imperative ....................................... 164 The China Match-Up ................................................... 167 8.1 Introduction ................................................. 167 8.2 China’s Motivations ....................................... 171 8.3 Japan and the United States .............................. 176 8.4 Philippines ................................................... 177 8.5 Vietnam ...................................................... 178 8.6 Chinese Threat Signalling ................................. 179 8.7 The East Asia Theater ..................................... 180 8.8 The Rand Report on War with China ..................... 186 8.9 The Economic Match-Up ................................. 188 8.10 The Rand Report of 2008 ............................. 189 8.11 How the War will be Conducted .................... 195 8.12 Chairman Mao’s Time Bomb ......................... 203 Conclusion ............................................................... 208 Appendix 1............................................................... 210 Step by Step, Here’s How to Fight China ....................... 210 Historical Background .............................................. 212 Energy—The Sixth Ring ........................................... 215 Coal .................................................................... 216 Oil ..................................................................... 217 Internal Transportation Network ................................ 218 Refining Sector ...................................................... 220 Strategic Interdiction ............................................... 222 I. Counterforce ...................................................... 223 II. Inshore ............................................................. 224 III. Infrastructure Degradation .................................... 225 IV. Distant Interdiction ............................................ 226 Appendix 2............................................................... 234 U.S. Air Force Public Affairs Guidance F-35A ................ 234 September 2015 ..................................................... 234 Why the F-35 is Needed: Aging Fleet ........................... 237 The Emerging Threat Environment .............................. 237 2 David Archibald Proliferation of Advanced Threat Capabilities; Near-Peer Competitors .......................................................... 238 5th Generation versus 4th Generation: Enables the Ability to Operate in High Threat Environments .......................... 239 We fight as a Coalition ............................................. 239 THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE F-35—LETHAL, SURVIVABLE, AND ADAPTIVE ................................................... 240 Coalition Interoperability .......................................... 240 Stealth/Low-Observable .......................................... 241 Shared Situational Awareness through Fusion .................. 241 Electronic Attack .................................................... 242 Addressing Criticisms: Maneuverability ........................ 242 Author’s Comment ................................................. 249 Appendix 3............................................................... 251 F-35A High Angle of Attack Operational Maneuvers ........ 251 OBJECTIVE .......................................................... 251 TEST ARTICLES .................................................... 251 MISSION EXECUTION ........................................... 252 OBSERVATIONS ................................................... 252 Energy Maneuverability ............................................ 252 Pitch Rate ............................................................. 253 High Angle of Attack ............................................... 254 High Angle of Attack Blended Region ........................... 254 Guns Defense ........................................................ 256 Buffet & Transonic Rolloff (TRO) ............................... 256 Rearward Visibility ................................................. 257 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............. 258 Author’s Comment ................................................. 259 Appendix 4............................................................... 260 Oslo Embassy Cable on the F-35 ................................. 260 The Lessons Learned................................................ 263 Author’s Comment ................................................. 264 Appendix 5............................................................... 266 Coalition Air-to-Air Victories in Desert Storm ................ 266 3 American Gripen Appendix 6............................................................... 268 Coalition Fixed-Wing Combat Aircraft Attrition in Desert Storm .................................................................. 268 Appendix 7............................................................... 271 Defense Sector Contributions to Members of Congress—Top 20 ...................................................................... 271 Notes ...................................................................... 272 Preface ................................................................ 272 Introduction .......................................................... 272 Born of a Yak ......................................................... 273 Fighter Aircraft Design ............................................. 274 Sentient Bomb Truck ............................................... 274 Why Not The F-16? ................................................ 276 What’s Wrong With The Raptor ................................ 276 Enter The Gripen ................................................... 277 The Economics of Fire Support ................................... 277 The China Match-Up ............................................... 278 List of Figures .......................................................