Picture of the Day: Naughty Parts

I'd say -- it depends. If the area of engagement is a low SAM/Opposition Air threat environment, the answer would really be none of the above as the A-10 would be the answer of choice. If, OTOH, it is a sponsor nation with 4th gen or higher SAM and opposition air threat, then maybe the F-15 (if it's an "E" which it would appear this one isn't) or F-22 (head nod to the F-117), depending on desired effects...
- SJS

Answer: none of the above. The Kiowa, Apache, and Little Bird for attack, Blackhawk for lift, with their Marine counter-parts: these are the airframes for COIN.

UNLESS the Air Force brings back the Skyraider.

Just my two cents...

This one, in the future should be there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano

Well, if we decide to fight terrorism by stopping Iran from sending arms into Iraq by bombing it back to the stone age then I would call in the F-22 and F-15E.

The F-4 It's the main flying bomb of Iranian's and will be the delivery system for any attack on Israel or any allied force in Iraq or the Gulf.
Think of a nuclear or chemical armed Baka bomb.

It is a trick question I think. It is all of them.

Are we going to get an answer?

To fight terrorism, you want eyes-in-the-sky coupled with quick ordnance delivery. You want loitering time and invisability. You want UAVs. Give me Global Hawk with an integrated sensor package flying figure-8s over the target area for 30 hours. Give me a Predator orbiting nearby waiting to drop it’s load on some well deserving tango. Give me some next-gen UAVs with greater loiter, speed, ordnance capability, IR and visual optics AND a streamlined C2 and it’s all good and sexy. -cp

None of them. The Iran strike will be flown off aircraft carriers.

The answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE.

Now if you want to feature a C-130, C-17, C-12, C-21, or KC-135 those would be the most relevant aircraft for the current set of operations.

Just shut up and support the Navy!

Correct Answer: all the above and many not on the list.

Besides the other air frames others have already mentioned I would like to add another often over looked ground troop supporting Air Force aircraft that we just don't have enough of: the AC-130.

None of the above.

Skipp-san was correct in naming cargo/people haulers as they are essential in logistically supporting the current set of operations.

For Field OPS it would be Predator UAVs hands down from the Air Force. Just not enough Global Hawk or Reaper UAVs yet to make them the most relevant.

I noticed the B52 and the B-1 are missing and if anyone has been paying attention to the news, we are modifing the bomb bays for the 30k penetrator.
Navy fling of of carriers to strike Iran? not from the Persian Gulf! Maybe way out in the Indian Ocean, making another task of extremly long ineffective missions.
I say build more Strike Eagles!