Originally Posted by
JamesNoBrakes
That's how I'd heard it before, clapped out old airframes no longer suitable for combat.
No - 'As' are still suitable for combat.
The Marines took of their oldest As and put them through an upgrade package to make them 'A+s' and had all the nell and whistles needed for the current theaters - even took them to the boat.
USN is concerned about trap count. Many of the oldest As are actually low on the trap count depending on their lineage.
rickair7777 was just relating the press releases and air show commentary that the Blues put out - the same as when they say that all maneuvers are combat oriented.
Even when I was doing professional red air did we ever practice the diamond loop
Yes - taken individually the maneuvers are basics taught to every Strike/Fighter pilot, but the similarity ends there.
They ARE NOT an operational (fleet/gun) squadron which is even why they fall under CNATRA (Training Command). Things have gone very wrong if the Blues are fitted with a gun again and sent to combat.
I'm not sure how the T-Birds selection process goes, but the Blues only elect from the pointy-nosed community. It would take me some time to remember anyone selected from other than the F-14/F-18 communities for the USN and only a few Harrier guys have ever been selected (at least in my recent memory); maybe Grumble and BDGRJMN have more recent statistics. I don't ever remember an S-3/EA-6B/or even an A-6 guy during my time in the military though I would rule out a current Growler pilot being considered now due to the airframe change.
I'm in Pensacola this weekend and the news has the Blues busy with numerous community events and the Naval Aviation Museum had a flyer/advertisement about them doing something every Wednesday at the Museum.