I'm Batman, (RL) U.S. Army testing personal gliders Options

[CanRay]

On the whole M4/SCAR/416 debate I say sod it, lets just give them all M14s again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

At least you'd know the guns would fire!

Say what you will about the AKs, and there's lots of negatives about them, but they're a right Soldier's weapon in every way!

[ludomastro]

Yep, the AK is one of the best guns made (even if it is getting long in the teeth).

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That aside, procurement for any degree of bureaucracy is always bad. A friend of mine is ready to quit over contract negotiations:

1. We need a very specific, very large crane for a construction project.

2. Company X has the crane we need. However, we do not have an existing contract with Company X.

3. Sounds simple - just write a contract right? Wrong! That could take longer than we have to do the project.

4. We decide to use Company Y as the middle man since we have a contract with them.

5. Our lawyers and Company X's lawyers can't agree over the damn insurance clause in the contract ... among other really small details.

6. Between the Legal, Procurement and Corporate Contracting Departments, we are sitting on our thumbs with a fixed deadline while these people piss in each other's cornflakes.


My friend compared getting everyone in the same room to a miracle along the lines of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea.

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Now, I work for a Fortune 500 company, imagine what the US Government is like.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif)

[NativeRigger]

I'm a parachute rigger by trade and besides having a chance to examine these things (there are three companies exploring the concept right now) up close and personal at last year's Parachute Industry Association symposium, I fly wingsuits recreationaly and have numerous friends who are/were either free-fall qualified spec ops. operators or airborne. The general concensus among all of us is that these guys are f'ing brilliant. They've taken a incredibly impractical and patently ridiculous idea, strapped on some performance numbers they pulled out of their asses, have milked it for staggering amounts of R&D money and will continue to be able to do so for a number of more years due to the relatively small fraction of the R&D pie it consumes. These programs will only get cancelled if they're looked at critically by the GAO or some general needs to squeeze a couple of extra million out of a budget and realizes that no results have come of the programs for years, if not decades.

To put it in other words. We're all really f'ing jealous, and wished we'd thought of that gravy train first.

Which reminds me. I've got this here static demosntrator of a hand laser that once research is complete will be able to burn through the front armor of an Abrams. I only need about an annual $500,000 budget for my research to progress... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)


BTW, if you want to see some genuine reserach into military applications of personal wings, do a search for the French Army's testing of wingsuits in a wind tunnel. Nothing dramatic, but it's very important, foundational stuff.

-NR

[Siege]

At least you'd know the guns would fire!

Say what you will about the AKs, and there's lots of negatives about them, but they're a right Soldier's weapon in every way!

Considering the terrain in Afghanistan, the M14 isn't a bad way to go.

In one of the more "errr" moments, the US Army is equipping the new Iraqi police/army with M16s.

-Siege

[FlakJacket]

Considering the terrain in Afghanistan, the M14 isn't a bad way to go.

Weren't they considering reintroducing the M14 in limited numbers in a designated marksman capacity a while back?

In one of the more "errr" moments, the US Army is equipping the new Iraqi police/army with M16s.

Since most of the US Army seems to be going over to the M4 maybe they've simply decided to dispose of a load of their old M16s and donate them to the Iraqi's as military aid?

[DocTaotsu]

I'm fairly certain the M-14 has been reintroduced as a "marskman" rifle already, guess the Amry had to go buy em back from the Navy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) .

Lovely weapon that it is (I own a cut down version) I, in my totally unqualified opinion, couldn't see taking down a house with one. It's not exactly the most nimble weapon ever built.

But I agree, the people I've talked to seem to indicate that the "reach out and ruin someones day" of a 7.62 round would justify some use in the Forgotten War.

[Siege]

The M16 and particularly the M4 both suffer in the wide, open spaces that dominate Afghanistan engagements, as I understand.

The M14 is very reliable, a proven performer and isn't as demanding as a proper sniper platform - the 7.62 round also delivers a heavier punch at greater distances than the smaller 5.56 round.

Whether or not the M14 has been re-introduced as a weapon in limited numbers or not, I don't know - probably among Rangers and spec ops groups, but they have always had a great deal of leeway in weapon choices.

This isn't to say you couldn't clear rooms or houses with one, but it wouldn't be a first choice.

As for the M16 donation program - given the weapon is PMCS intensive, requiring a great deal of relatively skilled maintenance and logistical support, I don't think it's an improvement over the AK. Using a 5.56 round has more controllable recoil and better accuracy - the M16 also doesn't come with a full-auto capacity. One of the training/doctrinal issues with the Iraqi forces is the tendency to "spray and pray", which usually doesn't do much for accuracy or ammo longevity.

Just my two bits.

-Siege

[CanRay]

Another advantage of giving Friendly Troops similar, if not the same, rifle is that there's less chance of "Friendly Fire" when you start getting jumpy and shooting at everything that has an "AK Clack".

[Siege]

Another advantage of giving Friendly Troops similar, if not the same, rifle is that there's less chance of "Friendly Fire" when you start getting jumpy and shooting at everything that has an "AK Clack".

Heh. Enough weapons have gone missing that you can't assume the hostile is only using an AK and just because that Iraqi is holding an M16 doesn't mean he's your buddy.

I won't expound on some of the more colorful commentaries on "the difference between Iraqi police and insurgents."

-Siege

[CanRay]

True 'nuff... Which is probably why I'm a nice, safe civvie, and not doing my duty in the sandbox.

That, and a few other reasons.

[PBTHHHHT]

Sorry for this revive of the thread... but... I saw this on cnn tech today.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/05/14...tman/index.html

Ok, check this out, coming to an arsenal near you? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

edit:
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Man-soars-Al...887006630b03d9/
yahoo photos has some more pics of this guy flying his jet powered wings.

[Method]

Sweet.

[PBTHHHHT]

All they gotta do now is add some guns and some missles and have the pilot yell... 'Coooobraaaa!!!!' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Balcon13]

It reminds me of the old Cobra Death Gliders from the G.I. Joe Cartoons, all its missing is a laser rifle on top front center. COBRA

[CanRay]

Hey, one of the items in Arsenal made me and a fellow geek buddy yell, "Trubble Bubble"!

[Method]

Video

I recommend liberal use of your volume control- the music sucks ass.