Not only does it not replace the A-10. It is less capable than a 16. This thing is a joke and a monument to political influence and procurement careers.
Its only calling card is the stealth that it is 100% Guaranteed to lose. NO matter what stealth is built in, radar does indeed “see” the plane. The problem now is that the computing power isn’t quite there to let the radar “know” it sees it.
Airframe improvements in stealth are difficult, slow, and barely incremental.
Computing power is growing at an exponential rate.
Inside 5 years, the stealth it has will be stripped away. Possibly effective against a circa 1999 radar, it’ll be helpless against a 2025 radar. And we will have sunk a fortune into airframes we are married to for 30 years.
And they will be crappy airframes, filled with performance compromises to achieve the stealth they no longer have.
Does this stealth argument also apply to the F22 [it does]?
If so, why aren’t folks getting their panties in wad over this as well vs. the persistent ire towards the F35?
This isn’t just about the F35, it’s about our entire capability to wage and WIN war...on land, sea and air.
The procurement process is corrupted all the way to DC...
The F-35 is like the Crusaders replacing their steel plate and chain mail with leather and trading their lances for billy clubs before assaulting the saracens.