Boeing shows off new Super Hornet display

Flight Global ^ | April 18, 2012 | Dave Majumdar

[Yo-Yo]

Then why was the F-117 retired so soon?

Because they were esentially hand-built, with under 70 built with no two exactly alike; they were extremely expensive as first generation stealth aircraft to maintain, especially the RAM coatings; they had a very limited payload; and they were useless in any role other than stealth strike of high value, well defended targets. Plus, they served for 25 years, which isn't exactly "so soon."

And at the risk of beating a dead horse, the F-35A and F-35C have no "thrust vectoring" whatsoever, unlike the the F-22, or the Russian Su-30 and Su-37.

[Yo-Yo]

Wow — just wow. The last guns battle in the list was an F-111 Raven — as I said in this (or maybe another) thread, always give pilots their guns. The Raven was a freaking surveillance craft and still pegged a bandit! (if I am reading the chart correctly) :)

The F-111 was the aircraft I worked on when I was in the Air Force.

The EF-111A Raven was unarmed. It received it's "kill" when the pursuing Iraqi Mirage couldn't pull up while chasing the EF-111A, and crashed into the ground.

[freedumb2003]

>>Plus, they served for 25 years, which isn’t exactly “so soon.”<<

As opposed to the craft I have cited so many times?

* F/16 Falcon: service date circa 1976 (36 years) (n: 4,500+ of these puppies have been built and deployed)
* F(A)/18 (Super) Hornet service date circa 1984 (28 years)
* F/15 Eagle service date circa 1976 (36 years)

But your argument about the difficulties in keeping the F-117 (entered service 1988 so your number of years of service is good) are compelling. My point is that stealth as a “game changer” clearly wasn’t sufficient to keep it.

>>And at the risk of beating a dead horse, the F-35A and F-35C have no “thrust vectoring” whatsoever, unlike the the F-22, or the Russian Su-30 and Su-37.<<

Yes, said horse is dead. My point is still alive — thrust vectoring, whether on a variant of the F-35, the F-22 or my 2001 sedan (now a red golf ball courtesy of the tornadoes we enjoyed in the Dallas area) is still an incremental change, as opposed to a fundamental change.

[freedumb2003]

>>The EF-111A Raven was unarmed. It received it’s “kill” when the pursuing Iraqi Mirage couldn’t pull up while chasing the EF-111A, and crashed into the ground. <<

Smarter piloting is even cooler. If I was a pilot who defeated a bandit by never firing a shot my chest would be puffed out for the rest of my life! :)

But I still say every milcraft should have gunnage!

[Yo-Yo]

As opposed to the craft I have cited so many times?

There is a difference between how long an aircraft type has been in use, and how long a specific airframe has been in use.

The F-117 airframes were 25 years old when they were retired. F-15s, F-16s, and F/A-18s are still in production, so you can have zero hour airframes of those types.

There are very few 25 year old F-15, F-16, or F/A-18 airframes flying in the US inventory today.