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Space Ops Sunday
By Lt Col P
This isn't news, in that it's been floating around for some time, but it is newsworthy I suppose.
The American military is planning a “spaceplane” designed to fly a crack squad of heavily armed [M]arines to trouble spots anywhere in the world within four hours.At a recent secret meeting at the Pentagon, engineers working on the craft, codenamed Hot Eagle, were told to draw up blueprints for a prototype which generals want to have in the air within 11 years.
My questions are: How do we sustain, support, and communicate with those Marines once they've landed? If it's only a squad, what are they supposed to do when they get there? And do they get flight pay? And does the vehicle have onboard holographic porn viewers and Copenhagen dispensers?
There's some Olympic quality conclusion-leaping at the end of the article, but the concept has long merited serious thought. How many military technology advances began as easily dismissed flights of fancy? Interesting stuff.
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I rather liked the SSTO DC X, IIRC. It could potentialy carry a light tank, and would land verticaly, which increased the number of places you could deploy to.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-X
How do we sustain(1), support(2), and communicate(3) with those Marines once they've landed?
1. Pack enough Top Ramen and multivitamins in cargo and they'll be fine until number two gets there.
2. FedEx
3. Verizon. Bastards are everywhere, watch their commercials.
If it's only a squad, what are they supposed to do when they get there?
I propose they promptly and earnestly engage in blowing shit up. They're Marines, it's what they do.
And do they get flight pay?
No. But they do get to keep the frequent flier miles if the plane is privately owned and operated. Per Diem will be subject to a review of submitted DTS receipts.
And does the vehicle have onboard holographic porn viewers and Copenhagen dispensers?
Holographic porn is not mission essential. Your Sony PS4/Cellphone/Computer/Inflatable House will do that just fine. Furthermore, the use of tobacco products is only permitted in the smoking area.
All I know is that I want to be the door gunner on the space plane.
Wouldn't it be simpler to keep a squad of Marines in each US embassy and consulate all over the world, then they could just take a helicopter to where the trouble is?
Oh, yeah.
In this same issue we find that US military spending has increased from $300 Billion to over $600 Billion over the Bush era. The US government cannot even track what is is giving to the DoD, and so it would come as no surprise that these guys put forward an idea that will result in a large award of cash to some defense contractor (Boeing or Lockheed) that will lead nowhere. Boeing spent something like $10 Billion on a project that got shut down due to a nearly complete lack of success. (I read that in this issue)
Divide $10 billion by the number of American tax payers. Wouldn't it be nice to have some accountability for our taxes?
^ ^ ^ Who let that idiot in here? Future space things + Marines = awesome. I'm sure we could cut Fed grants to the local ballet you regularly attend to support this venture.
though the point about tax accountability was well met, the ballet line had me laughing out loud.
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Looks like this has been around for years: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Hot_Eagle