Air Force orders armor piercing ammunition for F-35 test firings

[kstein]

Air Force orders armor piercing ammunition for F-35 test firings
http://www.examiner.com/article/air-force-orders-armor-piercing-ammunition-for-f-35-test-firings

 

[AggieMike88]

If I read that right, and taking this to a complete extreme...


The contract appears to be for 12,000 rounds with a total value of $2,000,000. That's $166.67 per round.

"the gun system, featuring a four-barrel Gatling gun, which fires at a rate of 3,000 rounds per minute", or 50 rounds per second.

**IF** the entire 12,000 round alotment were expended in a single all out firing test...

THAT'S $8,333.33 PER SECOND!! ​

 

[timwinters]

Well, considering that the F35 is, by some accounts, a trillion dollar boondoggle, what's a few more million?

 

[nddons]

THAT'S $8,333.33 PER SECOND!!

I think that's about how much it cost me to get my PPL.

 

[Old Geek]

Still cheaper than guided missiles.

 

[N801BH]

You would figure that a company in the USA could make that ammo.... Instead they give the contract to someone half way around the world...

:anticipates awarding a sole source Firm Fixed Price contract to Rheinmetall AG in Zurich, Switzerland for Frangible Armor Piercing (FAP) ammunition:

 

[Henning]

Man, and I retired my Weatherby when ammo went to $12 a round.

 

[Gerhardt]

$166.67/round doesn't sound so expensive when it's needed most.

It's like driving past a gas station with 1/4 tank left because the price was too high. Another 60 miles down the road with no station in sight and that $4.50 gas you passed by is looking cheap.

 

[Anthony]

Man, and I retired my Weatherby when ammo went to $12 a round.

Start reloading. You can get a single stage press, and starter kit for really cheap.

 

[Henning]

Start reloading. You can get a single stage press, and starter kit for really cheap.

I was considering it but it was an old Pre nitro gun and had been to sea for many years with several captains and was getting a bit long in the tooth condition wise so I retired it to a collector. I'd like a Barrett in .50BMG to replace it as my reach out weapon.

 

[Anthony]

When I lived in Colorado I watched guys hunt with a .50 cal Barrett, basically from mountain top to mountain top. Very impressive on Big Horns.

 

[N801BH]

When I lived in Colorado I watched guys hunt with a .50 cal Barrett, basically from mountain top to mountain top. Very impressive on Big Horns.

Was there anything left of the critter when the bullet found the target?... I guess they call it the "self gutting" way of hunting.

 

[Anthony]

Was there anything left of the critter when the bullet found the target?... I guess they call it the "self gutting" way of hunting.

It went straight through, FMJ was used. Not overly distructive if you hit them where you'd typically hit an animal for quick kill/meat preservation.

 

[nddons]

It went straight through, FMJ was used. Not overly distructive if you hit them where you'd typically hit an animal for quick kill/meat preservation.

If you have to go down one mountain and up another to retrieve the carcus, was the meat still good?

 

[Henning]

If you have to go down one mountain and up another to retrieve the carcus, was the meat still good?

Man, I was about to say you have to have fly in capability to make that work for meat,(would be nasty meat anyway) they could still do a hide and horns even head trophy if they had a road.

 

[Anthony]

If you have to go down one mountain and up another to retrieve the carcus, was the meat still good?

I believe they operated in teams.

 

[nddons]

I believe they operated in teams.

"OK, I'll sit here on this mountain. You guys go down this mountain, and climb half way up that mountain yonder. When you see a red mist rain down on you and hear a loud crack, in that order, climb up and pick up the remaining chunks of stew meat."

 

[cowman]

You know the only country that's a big enough threat to us to need a fighter like this is the same one we're borrowing the money from in order to build it and operate it.

Just a thought...

 

[N801BH]

You know the only country that's a big enough threat to us to need a fighter like this is the same one we're borrowing the money from in order to build it and operate it.

Just a thought...

Kinda Ironic, Ain't it............

 

[Anthony]

Kinda Ironic, Ain't it............

I wonder how many parts for it were made in China also.

 

[jonnyjetprop]

And then China hacks into LM and gets some of the design information for free.

You know the only country that's a big enough threat to us to need a fighter like this is the same one we're borrowing the money from in order to build it and operate it.

Just a thought...

 

[Dav8or]

And then they deploy the back door access they designed into the chip set and defeat the avionics whenever they need it.