Originally posted by whack:
While I'm glad we have such emergency or backup runways during a crisis, but won't any aggressors know that we have such capabilities and target LCK Rd as well?
think you quite missed the real message......
the news clearly indicated the ability of the RSAF planes to use the arresting hook landing system... a system similarly used on USN supercarriers to land fighter jets like F14 and F18s...
to me... couple with the fact that a fighter plane requires a far shorter runway .... probably less then 500 meter to land under normal conditions, with the hook arresting system.. an F-16 probably can now be forced to land in under 200 meter...
that would effectively open up a huge huge huge number of singapore roads that can be quickly cleared of debris and enable our planes to land.... which is very important... if we want continued air support and cover... afterall... if our planes cant land... they would be forced to crash... very bad thing to happen if you want to maintain air superiority or win a war.... especially more so in singapore's case... since we knew that the MAF has the ability to carry out a runway denial attack with their MRLS and G5 in a first strike.
However... having the ability to land our planes after a mission is only half runway problem resolved... we still need to find a way to send our fighters into the air using probably the same short runway... afterall... IT doesnt make sense to have a fighter plane land on a runway which it cannot take off from later on.... sound stupid if you get my point...
so ... how do you launch a figher using a 200 meter long road?? that is something that i would like to know..... there a few known methods of course... but it cannot be applied to all fighter planes...
But... assuming that initial fighter mission would be confined to air superiority... the planes wont be carrying max loadouts.. as such.. they probably wont be carrying a lot of weight..... and could be configured to take off as light as possible.... especially since... i dont think our fighter need to carry lots of fuel to reach enemy space....

BUT the most important... is to find a way to repair a cratered runway or road in the shortest time possible.... like maybe pouring quick set cement... or even special resin based or poly hydrocarbon base liquid fillings that could be hardened rapidly... like those they use as tooth fillings...
BEst idea... is...... build a vehicle that carries the entire runway on its back

like the leguan... why must leguan carry a bridging equipment??? why cant we configure it to carry runways that can be stretched out and placed end to end to create a runway as long as is required???

if the leguan bridge can take tons of weight. including tanks... surely it can take the weight of a plane...
