Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A New, "Super" F-35 to Rule the U.S. Military?
National Interest ^ | December 19, 2014 | David Majumdar

Posted on 12/19/2014 7:50:59 AM PST by C19fan

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-35 last
To: EQAndyBuzz
Well, it remains to be seen whether either the F-22 or F-35 are the best fighters ever to fly.

The F-22 has had its share of problems — most notably its OBOGS — the system that provides breathing oxygen to the pilot at altitude. I don't know if the USAF has ever tried to dogfight an F-22 yet.

The F-35s have been too few to even try such things as they have yet to enter service in any numbers. No dogfighting has been done with the F-35 either.

The net take away is we will have to see what these new super fighters can do — and hope that our current F-18s, F-16s, and F-15s will get the job done.

21 posted on 12/19/2014 9:15:11 AM PST by MasterGunner01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: ExNewsExSpook

Yep. And if done properly they use a cheap, networkable, mass-produced design and let it rapidly evolve along with the tactical environment, rather than imagining a do-everything super-weapon.


22 posted on 12/19/2014 9:22:48 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BCW

I love that movie.
Belushi was OK, but Ned Beatty, his family and the seacoast guys really carried it. Especially Slim Pickens in one of his best roles.

All in all, the movie had three or four really great subplots.


23 posted on 12/19/2014 9:32:06 AM PST by SJSAMPLE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

David Axe’s War is Boring has completed a study on the F-35. In short it is the “0” of fighters. It falls short is all respects and is classed as “junk”. Worth the read and scary as hell. Damn multi-role fighters/bombers always seem to fall short.


24 posted on 12/19/2014 9:53:49 AM PST by mcshot ( He's hiding everything at the expense of our dying Republic but that is the plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Thorne

Looks like the USMC version to me. Their needs should have been addressed separately rather then incorporated in the other versions. The expanded fuselage for VTOL really limits capabilities. Damn we soon will be subservient to all third world countries and most goat herders.


25 posted on 12/19/2014 10:03:18 AM PST by mcshot ( He's hiding everything at the expense of our dying Republic but that is the plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

The airforce would likely pit the air dominance fighter version of the F-35 against the F-22 and I don’t see the raptor losing that fight...ever.


26 posted on 12/19/2014 10:04:08 AM PST by miliantnutcase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GreyFriar
"why not just build the F-21 follow-on of the F-14?"

I thought the F-21 was the Israeli IAI Kfir:


27 posted on 12/19/2014 10:05:32 AM PST by PLMerite (Shut the Beyotch Down! Burn, baby, burn!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Depends on who you talk to, and how they calculated it...Democrats kept talking about $300 million a unit, but that included fixed costs, training, etc.

The real total, excluding the fixed costs was somewhere around $110-$130 million a jet. Not cheap, but considering the capabilities you get with the F-22, we could have ensured air dominance for decades to come. And of course, the higher the production run, the lower the per-unit cost.

We should have built a minimum of 300 F-22s for the USAF and sold 20-50 to both Japan and Australia. That sort of output would have pushed the cost per jet to $100 million or even a bit below. Again, that’s a lot more than we’re paying for the Super Hornet, but you get a quantum leap in capabilities. The irony, of course, is that cost overruns and decreasing “buys” are pushing the price of the F-35 to what we would have paid for the F-22, based on the production totals listed above.


28 posted on 12/19/2014 10:08:52 AM PST by ExNewsExSpook
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ExNewsExSpook

I remember all the talk about the F-35 would play the same role as the F-16; cheaper multipurpose single engine fighter. Look at how that worked out.


29 posted on 12/19/2014 10:11:17 AM PST by C19fan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz
So three of the best combat aircraft to ever grace the skies is going to be replaced by one aircraft that has yet to prove it can fly, let alone successfully function.

You they are operational right? Flying all the time? Because they are. Working just fine.
30 posted on 12/19/2014 10:24:04 AM PST by TalonDJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: TalonDJ

The planes are on active duty in every branch?


31 posted on 12/19/2014 10:36:38 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Liberalism isn't a mental disorder. It's a cult.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Anybody really think the ChiComs haven’t already hacked into the flight-control systems of the F-35? I think we should keep some F-16s around just because they’re NOT as chipped up.


32 posted on 12/19/2014 12:05:08 PM PST by jagusafr (the American Trinity (Liberty, In G0D We Trust, E Pluribus Unum))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jagusafr

Sounds like the nightmare beginning of the revamped Battlestar Galactica.


33 posted on 12/19/2014 12:13:20 PM PST by C19fan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: PLMerite

I guess I’m thinking of the Grumman working name of “Super Tomcat 21.” It was a revolutionary upgrade of the existing F-14D model.

See — http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-history-f14x.htm

For the Kafir F-21 — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAI_Kfir


34 posted on 12/19/2014 2:12:08 PM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: mcshot

is=in


35 posted on 12/19/2014 7:42:40 PM PST by mcshot ( He's hiding everything at the expense of our dying Republic but that is the plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-35 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson