tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post8997619156706584529..comments2024-03-28T00:43:37.279-05:00Comments on Future War Stories: The Flightline: Tactical TransportsWilliamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17218428427067689631noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-74203146049510075042015-08-30T02:33:31.559-05:002015-08-30T02:33:31.559-05:00This is a great post. It’s Very informative and we...This is a great post. It’s Very informative and well writing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pelicancase-midwest.com/" rel="nofollow">pelican case dealer<br /></a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09403738200337789918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-13969138639404731902015-04-23T20:59:03.637-05:002015-04-23T20:59:03.637-05:00I originally, especially since the LAAT is a beaut...I originally, especially since the LAAT is a beautiful craft, until I researched more about the vehicle. Since it is not dual-atmospheric in most cases, although, there is a variant that does, it could not make the list. The LAAT will appear on the gunship/helicopter/tiltrotor blog article in the near future. Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17218428427067689631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-53461808556442594832015-04-23T18:43:23.886-05:002015-04-23T18:43:23.886-05:00Great article as always though I can't believe...Great article as always though I can't believe you didn't add the iconic LAAT from Star Wars!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-55906221763779179782015-04-11T16:54:43.678-05:002015-04-11T16:54:43.678-05:00In my experience the most difficult aspect to get ...In my experience the most difficult aspect to get right is the actual aerodynamics of orbital transports. Anything capable of aerodynamic reentry will be poorly suited to anything resembling close air support. Their time on station would be cripplingly short, and they would likely require an arbitrarily long and well maintained runway for landing and takeoff. Modern aircraft use wing and aerodynamic layouts designed around compromise, in an attempt to maximize both low and high speed performance, unfortunately this leads to an airframe incapable of performing either duty particularly well. A variable-geometry wing layout can alter it's aerodynamic properties and thus optimize itself, at least to a certain degree, for maneuver at varying velocities, but this increases complication of design, maintenance, and increases possible points of failure. <br />In my own science fiction musings, my heavy transport craft is a massive oblique flying wing which enters orbit flying "sideways" utilizing a scramjet/rocket hybrid, with air breathing engines mounted on pivots which maneuver and power the craft at lower speeds. It's massive size still limits it's rough field capability, but it's role is optimized for bulk transport and heavy gunship duties. It's payload capabilities allow it to provide massive fire support but it is extremely slow, large, and vulnerable, severely limiting it's usefulness. The flying wing layout also makes it difficult to mount weapons in such a way as to be conducive to the typical "pylon turn" method of close air support from gunships, so it may be necessary for it to maneuver more similarly to an A-10 than to, say, a C-130. My attempts at a smaller, more capable close air support craft have proven far more elusive, and I'm considering a reverse-variable-sweep wing layout which, while greatly contributing to construction and maintenance costs as well as more intensive training processes for personnel to pilot and service the vehicle, would allow superior performance at both low and high de-orbiting speeds. This vehicle would be too large to be deployed from inside another aircraft, and using drop pods would delay it's entrance into combat in the critical early stages, thus it being self-deploying from orbit is critical to its success. My goal is for a common airframe to be specially outfitted for both troop transport and close air support duties, transport vehicles with a large cargo bay and gunships with more extensive weapons and countermeasures, with the possibility of additional "appliqué" armor plating. These vehicles actually have no capability to reenter orbit on their own, at least not without a rocket booster and minimal payload. Smaller aircraft, more akin in role and configuration to the MH-6 Little Bird helicopter, could be stored inside the heavy transports or even dropped in pods on their own, to be deployed once on the ground for both rapid transport and close air support. My air superiority fighters are actually high speed arrow shaped craft which deploy from orbit and are never intended to actually land on a planet, and as such they are extremely fast high altitude vehicles poorly suited to supporting those on the ground. They are deployed, retrieved, and maintained from orbiting warships. <br />Troops, equipment, and ground vehicles are deployed primarily from drop pods, with transport aircraft used primarily to move assets after they have been deployed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-48037734599502160062015-04-11T15:55:34.403-05:002015-04-11T15:55:34.403-05:00The easiest method to deliver a payload from orbit...The easiest method to deliver a payload from orbit to the ground has always been to simply drop it, that is push it into a decaying orbital trajectory outfitted with a heat shield, parachute, and possibly retrograde rockets. A tether system would greatly cut into the payload of its mother ship, and would most likely be slower and more predictable in its orbit than free falling payloads, thus more vulnerable to hostile AAA fire. The only advantage offered would be an easy way back up to orbit, but what actual strategic advantage would that provide? For repair, maintenance, and medical treatment it would be far easier to deploy the necessary facilities, equipment, and personnel to the planet, or commandeer those already constructed by the enemy, rather than to be constantly ferrying troops and vehicles to orbit and back again. While it is true that after the invasion is over and the war is won, troops would have to be returned to their own home planet, but at this point it would be assumed the majority of the planet would have been pacified and thus one can assume that the invaders, now the conquerers, would have access to all the orbital delivery infrastructure available to the planet before the war broke out, minus those lost to battle damage or sabotage of course. A space elevator already located in the planet would likely be destroyed during the initial attack: the defenders could use it to deploy missiles, drones, attack spacecraft, etc. providing an incentive for the attackers to destroy it, or the attackers may choose to comandeer it for themselves, using it to assist their own efforts, which would likely result in the defenders attempting to sabotage it themselves. The truth is a large, static or at the very least predictable structure such as a space elevator is an easy, vulnerable target, and may be avoided entirely by both sides, as it would be a valuable investment to the well being of the planet as as whole, thus beneficial to both sides. Far more valuable to a sustainable colony or city than to an invading force, as it provides a means for the exportation of goods and people, which are far more difficult to deliver to orbit, at least without the transportation rendering goods or travel prohibitively expenisve, than it is to deliver goods or personnel from orbit. An invasion is a temporary situation, which is what this article pertains to, whereas an occupation is at the very least a semi-permanent situation which requires a totally different strategy and a approach. While a space elevator is a very economical and sustainable means of orbital delivery and retrieval, sustainability and economics are not the only factors that have to be considered.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-46650655199744199232015-04-11T07:43:30.683-05:002015-04-11T07:43:30.683-05:00Yes, the CAS blogpost is in the queue, and will fe...Yes, the CAS blogpost is in the queue, and will feature some sweet A-10 pics...of course. Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17218428427067689631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-15441035891382211202015-04-10T09:13:10.727-05:002015-04-10T09:13:10.727-05:00This one was great. Are you going to do a post on ...This one was great. Are you going to do a post on close air support (CAS)<br />Doc Wade (FLEET MARINE FORCE) Corpsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02856514317936686317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-56069265216324538922015-04-05T17:00:17.555-05:002015-04-05T17:00:17.555-05:00I have been thinking about orbital assault, mostly...I have been thinking about orbital assault, mostly for my mind set I imagined a conflict between a industrialized Mars against Earth. the longer range battles happening across the solar system, eventually however the day must come where if Earth is to win blue boots have to hit the red ground, And that's what this is all about. This is basically Amphibious assault from space. A lot of writers like to make the analogy to the Marine Corps and it fits. I prefer to analogous to Airborne forces but most likely its a blend of the two. <br /><br />now When I first thought of this I established for my self a set rule of tonnage. In real life you cant take a Aircraft carrier into brown water. In the Same vain larger space craft are dedicated space craft. Dreadnoughts and cruisers would likely be built in space never to enter a planetary gravity There Crews would be Ferried from ship to shore by smaller ships, as well because getting out of G would be impractical.<br />So with this rule in mind I figured the max you could enter and leave a atmosphere with likely be locked at say destroyer class for a maximum. with this in mind I imagined "Cap's", "Pods",attackers, Jumpers(light transports),medium Transports ( osprey/ chinook sized) cutters ( C130 or better sized tactical transports) Corvette ( C17 sized transports) and then Mulberry Shells. <br />Caps are one-two man Capsules they drop much like in Starship troopers the novel or Halo, basically a scaled down SpaceX Dragon Capsule mostly for SF and behind the lines stuff they are small fast one way craft that would take the Job of a Parachute today.<br /><br />Pods Are squad sized versions and pull triple duty. Some are manned most however are decoys fired off in rapid numbers much like the decoys in a ICBM. large numbers would be dropped to overwhelm enemy radar and triple A well Destroyers and frigates in orbit strike triple A sites<br />the Final job being that the same design would be used as life boats for capital ships<br /><br />Attackers would be more or less Endo/Exo fighters launched by Carriers Which are more LHA then Cv intended only to drop troops. meant to supply CAS. <br /><br />Jumper would be smaller Tactical transports more like Hueys or black hawks in scale based around a Aerodynamic lifting body. <br /><br />medium transports would be the larger models dropping light ATV's. using a blended wing lifting body <br /><br />Cutters would be a duel mission type craft, in Assaults they would each carry light armor ATV's and Tanks built for atmospheric drop as well as troops and some logistics. They would also be configurable to perform there traditional name sake role of SAR and planetary patrol. because they have short range they would be carried in by a Carrier ship.<br /><br />Corvette as I see it could be C17 sized in cargo capasity and act as the largest of the duel role ships in atmosphere they would serve as transports deploying armor and troops as needed they are much larger then Cutters but would still need a carrier because of there shorter range. I image that Cutters and Corvettes would lack any form of rotational gravity generation<br /><br />Ships above this like Frigates and Destroyers can enter a atmosphere but there main role in Orbital would be shelling the enemy and dropping light transports. They would be Hybrid ships having the weapons of big capital ships and rotational sections for living and working but still a atmospheric design. <br /><br />then I see the final Mulbery shells. Named after the Mulbery Harbors that the British made for D day they would be to large to ever leave the planet once dropped they hit the ground and open up serving as transports for large volumes of equipment and as a ready built hanger, Barracks command center and orbital tether for future operations Prefabricated in space and serving as factories to build the equipment they deploy they are towed onto position and dropped with just enough power to keep from crashing in to the planet. They would be the TOCs and FOBs towed by military versions of space container ships.<br />That's how I thought of it anywayLCONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04841691624835390231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-8703625241548263032015-04-05T16:51:40.050-05:002015-04-05T16:51:40.050-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.LCONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04841691624835390231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-77563079838581791212015-04-05T14:19:09.117-05:002015-04-05T14:19:09.117-05:00One real hard-science method for delivery of paylo...One real hard-science method for delivery of payloads from orbit to surface could be the space elevator. Of course for any military landing deploying tens of thousands kilometer long tether from a fix point in orbit above LZ would be suicidal for the starship and elevator cars.<br />But who says that the tether must reach to the surface? A ship, not necessarily at geo-synchronized orbit, could fold tether/s down to the plant's higher atmosphere and simply lowering like beads on a wire the Tactical Transports down to higher atmosphere from then the Tactical Transport engines do the rest.<br />This 'lowering like beads' will decelerate the transport without the need to burn fuel and carry heavy heat shield for the entry. Climbing back would be tricky, the transport will need some sort of climbing gear to catch to tether end and began climbing.<br />Another armament is a close loop rather than open end tethers. The ship deploys down a conveyer belt and cycles it like in cable car with the transports as cars attaching/detaching from belt when leaving /entering planet atmosphere.<br />There are already plans & schemes for Momentum exchange tethers rotating and non- rotating to grab an endoatmospheric craft from high atmosphere and launch it to orbit or taking it from orbit to atmosphere.<br />Any spacefaring civilization could easily deploy such tethers around the target planet to cut down the amount of fuel needed for marines transporting in & out during the campaign.<br /><br />Yoel <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-22219167464179605362015-04-05T12:59:31.900-05:002015-04-05T12:59:31.900-05:00Great work, as always.
I had forgotten the SICON...Great work, as always. <br /><br />I had forgotten the SICON dropship myself.Arielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939475559410095206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-88195135490959253902015-04-05T12:16:58.802-05:002015-04-05T12:16:58.802-05:00It is always a struggle for me to not include too ...It is always a struggle for me to not include too many examples...and I will look over those suggestions and may include more. Is the halghast transport in atmosphere only? Thanks for suggestions.<br />Very sorry about the email situation. Here is my email: williambregnardATgmailDOTcom Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17218428427067689631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-50283662624105722012015-04-05T08:38:31.223-05:002015-04-05T08:38:31.223-05:00Good read for Easter... BUT!
I'm greatly dis...Good read for Easter... BUT! <br /><br />I'm greatly disappointed that you did not put one he list the mighty Thunderhawk or Storm Eagle of Legiones Astartes. Also we miss Helghast Overlord, GDI many types of tac' transports, BM-17 Griffin & A-M12 Sky Crane from Section 8... ect. <br /><br />BTW: I will ask again is there is any other way to send you email, the option on blogger is not working for my for unknown reason I'm afraid. Shashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06772329154615576984noreply@blogger.com