From:	Jeffrey Mach <mach@****.CALTECH.EDU>
Subject:	Re: A hand proffered...
Date:	Wed, 8 Jan 1997 00:15:08 -0800

*****PRIVATE: Lilith
>>>>>[Jenny and I had a "long talk"(tm). The girl's smart...just
sometimes the idea doesn't get all the way through her brain before she's
already leapt in with both feet. But that's why we love her so.... :)

RE: my offer. Thanks for the reminder, the Sacha business got put so far
on the back burner that I almost forgot that there was a fellow in town
looking to borrow our services, once we could clear some time in our
schedule. I'm more used to UCAS equipment, but familiar enough with the
57 to not be any problem. Conversely, this Thunda guy would have to be a
hell of a lot tougher than I give a hominid credit for if we have to drop
a bomb on him, though yeah, nothing says "I hate you" better than a PGM
in the lap. Would make identifying the body a bit difficult if you had to
put up a sign on the road to say "Thunda - Next 2 km" however.

To be honest, I was more thinking of rotocraft. Fixed wing usually can't
cut it in a anti-personnel role unless you are talking large numbers
(incendiary clusters, fuel-air explosives and the like). I have been
snagging some late hours for some past-due favors so I can run
urban-combat scenerios, mostly helo, but a few fixed and vector. Give me
a minute to get acclimated to the controls, and I should be able to handle
anything from a Highway Patrol SuperGnat to this new Ducalis that I have
been hearing about (they say its named after a Himalayan wasp that has an
8cm wingspan!?!) though it would be nice to know what kind of whirlybirds
you might have access to [hint-hint].

In regards to your ouch-factor business dissing my ammo of choice....

+++++insert: BEEE-dah.audio

That was Japanese for Pbltpbltpblt!

KE = m * V^2! And frankly, with your average fighters being what they
are, I'd rather have a smaller round with built-in solid fuel ramjet
pushing the sliver hypersonic rather than a big ugly 30mm lumbering
towards the target and missing. Hell, for soft targets, the shock front
will push it over the top on damage. That's why the Valkyrie isn't being
equipped with a larger caliber slug-thrower (or was I not supposed to let
that tidbit slip?). Well, it'll be in the next Aviation Week anyway.
Only reason they weren't popular before was because di-coating the
barrels so they could withstand the muzzle velocity wasn't "cost
effective" until recently. Besides, just on pure psyche-factor, nothing
makes a target's eyes go wide like the crack-shriek of a stream of
screamer rounds. Enough of this shop-talk.

Finally, in regards to that mommy thing, I guess a girl's just gotta have
her secrets. Glad I could/can be of service. I'm here if you need
me.]<<<<<
-- Arashi <00:17:45/01-08-58>