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F-35 Versus European Competition
Strategy Page ^ | 14 jun 06 | Anon

Posted on 07/19/2006 7:10:06 AM PDT by white trash redneck

The F-35 (recently named the Lightning II) is due to enter service soon. While the F-22 is widely seen as the ultimate air-to-air machine, the F-35 is described as a multi-role aircraft. How does the F-35 compare in the air-to-air mission against likely competitors like the French Rafale, the Swedish Gripen, and the multi-national Eurofighter?

The Rafale, Gripen, and Eurofighter are all in service or expected to enter service in 2006. All of them boast some of the best electronics suites ever to appear in combat aircraft. All have top speeds approaching 2,000 kilometers an hour. All three aircraft carry excellent beyond-visual-range missiles (like the Mica, AMRAAM, and Meteor). All are highly maneuverable. But will they be better than the F-35 in a fight?

The answer, surprisingly, is probably not. The F-35 has one big advantage over these three fighters from Europe. Its radar signature is very small – as is the case with the F-117 and F-22. Given that its speed is comparable to the European jets, and its AESA radar is at least as good as the European systems, this "invisibility" is a decisive advantage. The best weapons in the world are useless if they cannot see their targets.

The F-35 will be able to see the Rafale, Gripen, and Eurofighter long before it can be seen itself. The first rule of air combat may be "speed is life", but the second rule is "lose the sight, lose the fight". In the 21st century, sight includes radar. It is very likely that the only warning the F-35 may give of its presence will be when its radar has locked on to one of the European fighters. By that point, the F-35 is already close to launching its AMRAAMs.

This is probably the major reason for the United States Air Force's future dominance of the air. Even its second-best fighter will probably be able to best the front-line designs of other western nations in a "paper" fight based on specifications and capabilities. When the level of training American pilots get is added to the mix, the F-35's advantage becomes staggering. One other factor to consider is that the United States Air Force plans to have 1,763 F-35s on inventory (the Marine Corps and Navy variants would add another 780 F-35s to the mix). If the Rafale is built to a planned force level of 292, and the Saudi order for the Eurofighter goes through, the combined Gripen, Rafale, and Eurofighter production runs will total 1,262, meaning there will be two F-35s for every one of the advanced European fighters. – Harold C. Hutchison (haroldc.hutchison@gmail.com)


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: f35; fighteraircraft; lightning; themythofstealth
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Nice to see we won't be relinquishing control of the air anytime soon.
1 posted on 07/19/2006 7:10:08 AM PDT by white trash redneck
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To: white trash redneck

Even with all the technology - it still comes down to the training and guts of the guy behind the wheel or gun...and I am not too impressed by the Europeans...


2 posted on 07/19/2006 7:13:48 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - They want to die for Islam, and we want to kill them.)
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To: white trash redneck

My take is that the F-22 is #1, the F-35 #2 in air dominance.


3 posted on 07/19/2006 7:14:34 AM PDT by lormand (What do you call a "Conservative" who hates Rush Limbaugh...a liberal.)
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To: white trash redneck

The author sounds like he is worried that Europe won't be able to fend off U.S. air attacks.

"Oh my gosh...what will we do if the American's attack?!?!"

News flash, if we do attack Europe, it's because you're up to eyeballs in Islamic terrorists.


4 posted on 07/19/2006 7:15:45 AM PDT by Sergio (If a tree fell on a mime in the forest, would he make a sound?)
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To: 2banana

A bad weapon in the hands of a good soldier will always best a great weapon in the hands of a bad soldier.


5 posted on 07/19/2006 7:17:57 AM PDT by jbenedic2 (Nothing new for the New York Times)
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To: lormand

The F-22 is an air superiority fighter, the F-35 an attack fighter.

Two VERY different missions. . .


6 posted on 07/19/2006 7:18:33 AM PDT by Salgak (Acme Lasers presents: The Energizer Border: I dare you to try and cross it. . .)
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To: Salgak

Yes, but it sounds as if the F-35 is a better air dominance fighter than even the best the EUropeons have to offer, second only to the F-22.


7 posted on 07/19/2006 7:21:42 AM PDT by white trash redneck (Everything I needed to know about Islam I learned on 9-11-01.)
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To: white trash redneck

The advantage of the F-35 relative to the F-22 is: you can get maybe three F-35's for the price of an F-22, AND the F-35 is a multi-role aircraft. The F-22 is clearly an air-dominance aircraft. The F-35 is o.k. in that role, and is furthermore sufficiently effective in a broad range of missions. The comparison of the F-22 to the F-35 or the F-16 is kind of like the comparison of the B-2 to the F-35 or the F-16, or for that matter the A-10 to the F-16. I don't know if the F-35 will emerge as the best buy in the world as the mainstay of the air forces of most democratic nations of the world, the way the F-16 did, but it's looking like maybe it will.


8 posted on 07/19/2006 7:24:50 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: Salgak
"The F-22 is an air superiority fighter, the F-35 an attack fighter."

"Two VERY different missions. . ."

Thanks for validating my point.

9 posted on 07/19/2006 7:26:33 AM PDT by lormand (What do you call a "Conservative" who hates Rush Limbaugh...a liberal.)
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To: white trash redneck

Now now, who posted this thread without any sexy pictures? C'mon now, people, you know that's against the rules. :D


10 posted on 07/19/2006 7:31:14 AM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: white trash redneck
Named after the original 'Lightning' jet fighter which still holds the world record for rate of climb at 50,000 feet per minute. Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
11 posted on 07/19/2006 7:33:21 AM PDT by Vectorian
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To: white trash redneck

'Yes, but it sounds as if the F-35 is a better air dominance fighter than even the best the EUropeons have to offer, second only to the F-22.'

The problem with your argument is that F35 is being jointly developed between the US and Britain with contibutions and orders from Italy, Holland, Turkey, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Israel and Singapore. So most EU countries will have their own aircraft and F35's!


12 posted on 07/19/2006 7:37:36 AM PDT by Vectorian
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To: Vectorian

CRIPES!!!! 50K a MINUTE>?


13 posted on 07/19/2006 7:37:57 AM PDT by Walkingfeather (u)
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To: Vectorian

named after the P-38 Lightning, the most effective long range attack fighter of WW2. ( by the way the F22 was originally going to be called the Lightning 2, but it was changed to raptor during the Jurassic Park craze.)


14 posted on 07/19/2006 7:38:29 AM PDT by Waverunner
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To: mvpel

15 posted on 07/19/2006 7:39:39 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: mvpel

16 posted on 07/19/2006 7:41:14 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: ArrogantBustard

Ohhhh baaaby... now that's more like it!

17 posted on 07/19/2006 7:43:04 AM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: 2banana

'Even with all the technology - it still comes down to the training and guts of the guy behind the wheel or gun...and I am not too impressed by the Europeans...'

I presume you don't class Brits as Europeans as I don't - the USAF is pretty impressed with RAF pilots:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1668391/posts


18 posted on 07/19/2006 7:43:23 AM PDT by Vectorian
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To: Vectorian
Lockheed P-38 "Lightning":

One of the last things Yammamoto ever saw ... The National Socialists weren't too fond of it, either.

19 posted on 07/19/2006 7:44:31 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: lormand

It should be noted that the F-22 has the capability of carying a significant strike payload. This is not its primary mission but it is indeed a multi-role aircraft.


20 posted on 07/19/2006 7:45:02 AM PDT by ChinaThreat (s)
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