Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Pre-release)

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I don't buy the argument that it's 30 years later so everything has to look so much different. Nonsense. Throughout my entire life the United States has operated mostly the same fighters from the 1970s, with upgrades over the years of course. The backbone of our ageing and dwindling air fleet is still comprised largely of 1970s designs...the F-15, F-16, F-18, etc. Newer and vastly more expensive planes have come along, but in exceedingly low numbers and not without problems. In an infinitely more technologically advanced world, thirty years would be nothing. Hell, we're shooting for a 50 year service life with our fighters and even longer with bombers and transports. So, in a Star Wars universe, things would be lasting a heck of a lot longer. No reason at all for them to look all that different. It was one of the most obviously missed marks of the prequels. The aesthetic should have been largely the same as what was established in the OT. Slightly different perhaps, but not completely different.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

nitrox said:
Huey helicopters are still in action, just with new internals. Same could be said for SW ships.
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Most, if not all Hueys still being used today are newer builds and not vintage models dating back to the early 60s. For instance, the Hueys in the Marine Corps inventory are mostly N models and we've started upgrading to Y models with a mix of some being upconverted Ns and the rest being brand new birds straight from the factory. It's a pretty safe bet that all of the original B & E model Hueys that served with the Army & Marine Corps in Vietnam have all either been lost in action or long since retired. The Hueys currently flying don't look the same as the original Hueys with the N & Y models being the mos different having twin engines and the Y with its quad rotors.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Actually, a little research to back up my point. All currently used fighter aircraft:

Dassault Rafale - 27 years old

F-16 - 39 years old

F-18 - 35 years old

Sukhoi Su-27 - 36 years old

F-15 - 41 years old

;)
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

You still look at it and see a Huey is the point. When I'm at a base for an open house and walking along the flight line, the aircraft I see look pretty much exactly like the ones that I saw going to airshows as a little kid. Some have become more scarce and some retired, but there are fewer new faces in the crowd than old ones. Some have gotten face lifts, but if I had stepped into an invisible wormhole in the middle of the flight line at a show 30 years ago and stepped out the other side in 2013 at a show at the same base, I'd pretty much think I was in the same time.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Jedi-72 said:
You still look at it and see a Huey is the point. When I'm at a base for an open house and walking along the flight line, the aircraft I see look pretty much exactly like the ones that I saw going to airshows as a little kid. Some have become more scarce and some retired, but there are fewer new faces in the crowd than old ones. Some have gotten face lifts, but if I had stepped into an invisible wormhole in the middle of the flight line at a show 30 years ago and stepped out the other side in 2013 at a show at the same base, I'd pretty much think I was in the same time.
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Not to mention that those older aircraft that we deem surplus are used by other nations all over the world. The Star Wars universe at this point would be less "USA v. Russia" and more like "Iraq v. Afghanistan v. Iran v. any other less equipped nation". :thumbsup
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Michael Bergeron said:
Actually, a little research to back up my point. All currently used fighter aircraft:

Dassault Rafale - 27 years old

F-16 - 39 years old

F-18 - 35 years old

Sukhoi Su-27 - 36 years old

F-15 - 41 years old

;)
Click to expand...

With the exception of the Su-27, all are at the end of their service and are being replaced or about to be replaced by newer planes. The Su-27 is questionable since the Russians have been building all sorts of new planes based on the Su-27 but with different designations.

Anyhow, all of the US planes on your list are old and should have been replaced by now except that, in the case of the F-15, its replacement ran into all sorts of delays and we ended up not producing enough of them. The F-16 and F-18 are to be replaced by the F-25 but who knows if they'll see the light of day and the Navy has already replaced their legacy Hornets with the Super Bugs (F-18E/F Super Hornet) which is essentially a new plane that only happens to resemble the legacy Hornet.

What would be more relevant would be capital ships and in the USN all of our ships are facing replacement. The Burkes are at the limit of their growth capability, the Nimitz's are to be (slowly) replaced by the Bush class, LA class SSNs were to be replaced by the Seawolf but those proved to be too expensive but are being partially replaced by the Virginias, Ohio class boomers are slated to be retired with debate going on as to whether or not to replace them with a new class of SSBN.

So unless the New Republic is broke or facing procurement issues like we are then all of their ships and small craft are all either replaced, in the process of being replaced, or about to be replaced. By this point in time we should be seeing few, if any, ships (big & small) from the OT except for possibly the Falcon which is too iconic to not include.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

It could always be an updated Falcon. Like same everything, but with some newer "special modifications."
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Jeyl said:
Don't forget the tried and true B-52 that's been around since 1952.
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The only reason we still have those is because everything that we've developed to replace either costs too damn much to produce in meaningful numbers, and/or can't carry as many bombs as the BUFFs do.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Riceball said:
With the exception of the Su-27, all are at the end of their service and are being replaced or about to be replaced by newer planes. The Su-27 is questionable since the Russians have been building all sorts of new planes based on the Su-27 but with different designations.
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Yes, but they're still here, which is the point. And many of them WELL over the 30 year point.

So unless the New Republic is broke or facing procurement issues like we are then all of their ships and small craft are all either replaced, in the process of being replaced, or about to be replaced. By this point in time we should be seeing few, if any, ships (big & small) from the OT except for possibly the Falcon which is too iconic to not include.
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I would argue that while there would be some new ships that absolutely the New Republic would be strained to produce the kind of mass rearmament you're suggesting. Not to mention all the different factions that the Enmpire would break up into (afterall, it's Star WARS).

I stand by this universe being less about wealthy super powers and more about struggling war bands slowly being united through conflict using legacy equipment and, some new stuff when they can get it.

That makes the most sense to be regarding the fall of the Empire.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Riceball said:
The only reason we still have those is because everything that we've developed to replace either costs too damn much to produce in meaningful numbers, and/or can't carry as many bombs as the BUFFs do.
Click to expand...

Which is a real life example of why legacy equipment makes perfect sense! ;) :p
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

niennumb1 said:
It could always be an updated Falcon. Like same everything, but with some newer "special modifications."
Click to expand...

I prefer the idea of it being the same old Falcon that Han & Chewie continuously tinker with in order to keep it spaceworthy. I think it would be kind of funny to hear how the two of them are constantly scrounging and scavenging spare parts in order to keep the Falcon running and when they can't find a part they jerry rig a part from a similar ship to work or figure out a way to run without it altogether.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Jeyl said:
If it were me, I'd bring the suspended dice back.
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:lol....
star-wars-episode-vii-morph.jpg-140659d1359746687
 
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Re: Star Wars Episode VII

You guys are concentrating purely on military crafts. In post war there would be a boom in civilian vehicles. I doubt very much that the Empire depleted the whole galaxy of funds - and that's basically what I'd think the new turmoil will be about - rich versus poor and those taking advantage of the situation. After WW2, barely any of the German hardware was used - it was studied for each country's own creations, but ultimately scrapped due to the emotional response attached to those war machines. I doubt very much we'll see anyone but the Empire use Imperial gear - heck, depending on where the remnants of the Empire leans post-war, they may be reluctant to use it themselves in order to not evoke negative feelings towards themselves.
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

True, but at the same time not true. A lot of that old equipment found it's place all around the world.

However, that's a very different scenario than what we're left with after ROTJ. WW2 was one giant defeated by other giants. This is giant breaking apart within itself from civil war. Very different aftermath. ;)
 
Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Also, regarding a post war boom I highly doubt it. After the empire falls so do the protections it provides. Smuggling becomes rampant and legit businesses are at a loss. Even if the rebellion was able to form a new republic quickly it would be facing almost persistent lawlessness in the power vacuum of the Empire. Much the same happened at the fall of Rome.
 
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