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The Air Force Just Bought 100 Stealth Fighters That Can’t Fight
The Daily Beast ^ | 10.15.17 | DAVID AXE

Posted on 10/16/2017 7:03:45 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki

click here to read article


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To: Snickering Hound

According to what I can find online only two were ever fired in combat.


61 posted on 10/16/2017 10:46:56 AM PDT by saminfl
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To: saminfl
According to what I can find online only two were ever fired in combat.

3 launches during the 91' Gulf War. 2 never even ignited, the third missed.

62 posted on 10/16/2017 10:49:41 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: TalonDJ

...(gross versus net)...

IIRC, gross versus net equals lots of profit on billions.
Especially when what you get isn’t what you need for the purpose intended with a
lot due to a rush job causing delays, cost overruns, problems, and mistakes. The Ft. Walton Beach News media (home of F35 wing in Florida) has been covering the F35 mistakes extensively.


63 posted on 10/16/2017 10:50:17 AM PDT by Sasparilla ( I'm Not Tired of Winning.)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Number built: 231 as of March 2017
Solution: Stop building them


64 posted on 10/16/2017 11:12:31 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: Snickering Hound

“Essentially at least 10% of the F-35 program will become just very expensive trainers.”

Pretty much standard.


65 posted on 10/16/2017 11:25:03 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: Sasparilla

“The Ft. Walton Beach News media (home of F35 wing in Florida) has been covering the F35 mistakes extensively.”

Which is amusing since back when Valparaiso was still suing they were a lot more pro-F-35.


66 posted on 10/16/2017 11:29:13 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: Snickering Hound

“Anything else goes outside and makes it unstealthy.”

Keep saying that any time you can. Hopefully our enemies will believer you.


67 posted on 10/16/2017 11:31:50 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: Snickering Hound

“Anything else goes outside and makes it unstealthy.”

Keep saying that any time you can. Hopefully our enemies will believe you.


68 posted on 10/16/2017 11:31:57 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: minnesota_bound

“Solution: Stop building them”

If we did that for every weapon system that ever had issues our troops would be nekid and wielding sticks.


69 posted on 10/16/2017 11:32:58 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: TalonDJ
Pretty much standard.

There were 12 F-15 prototypes, that less than 1% of the production total. And that was bleeding edge tech in the 70's.

8 test and 187 operational F-22's. Again, bleeding edge aircraft.

And 10% is the minimum for the F-35. It's a turkey that should be canceled.

70 posted on 10/16/2017 11:33:17 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: Snickering Hound

WTF man. You are comparing test articles to train aircraft. Apples and Oranges.


71 posted on 10/16/2017 11:34:21 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: TalonDJ
Keep saying that any time you can. Hopefully our enemies will believe you.

Can you even name a munition that you can hang on a wing or fuselage that doesn't break stealth or are you just trolling?

72 posted on 10/16/2017 11:35:37 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: sukhoi-30mki
I hope we are making and buying large lots of MOABS for the kind of cleanup we need to not have to do.
73 posted on 10/16/2017 11:37:52 AM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our one and only true hope.)
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To: Snickering Hound

Did you FOLLOW th3e F-22 program? It had piles of overruns and teething issues. They were still writing the software when the productions models were coming off the line JUST LIKE the F-35. The F-22 ALSO needed a SW upgrade after the fact to allow it to use more weapons. Just like this article.

Heck man, by the time F-15 was as old as the F-35 they were already working on the C model!!

Why does everyone think teething issues are new and shocking?


74 posted on 10/16/2017 11:40:16 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: redgolum

Actually, that sounds like an F15. (See the Israeli pilot who flew on one wing).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M359poNjvVA


75 posted on 10/16/2017 11:41:39 AM PDT by ro_dreaming (Chesterton, 'Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. It's been found hard and not tried')
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To: TalonDJ
WTF man. You are comparing test articles to train aircraft. Apples and Oranges.

108 and possibly as many as 200 F-35's are little more than prototypes because they cannot or the Air Force will not fund upgrades.

76 posted on 10/16/2017 11:43:51 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: TalonDJ

There are better fighters out there. This one and the variations have lots of bad press about them. All the testing is not going to help if it cannot carry enough weapons.


77 posted on 10/16/2017 11:48:30 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: sukhoi-30mki

I would like to find out more about this issue. I’m wondering if the 100 F-35s are going to be used as trainers and don’t need expensive upgrades. We used F-15A/B models as trainers when most of the operational squadrons had upgraded to the F-15C/D models.

Is it possible that these aircraft are destined to be Nuke certified and wouldn’t carry conventional weapons? The SALT treaty limits the number of Nuke certified aircraft, so the verification process would need to differentiate between Nuke Capable and Non Nuke capable.

Maybe they’re destined for foreign sales or training foreign students who wouldn’t need access to some of the technology.

Maybe they’re going to be used as recce aircraft or other special purpose missions, like signal intelligence, or jamming.

Every fighter aircraft acquisition contract that I’m aware of includes the upgraded software. I think there’s probably a good reason for not upgrading these particular aircraft.


78 posted on 10/16/2017 11:56:29 AM PDT by mbynack (Retired USAF SMSgt)
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To: TalonDJ
Did you FOLLOW th3e F-22 program? It had piles of overruns and teething issues. They were still writing the software when the productions models were coming off the line JUST LIKE the F-35. The F-22 ALSO needed a SW upgrade after the fact to allow it to use more weapons. Just like this article.

Software for the F-22 is hard to write because the electronic hardware is actually quite elderly. We're talking 25mhz processors. Procurement was extended and it caused headaches.

Heck man, by the time F-15 was as old as the F-35 they were already working on the C model!!

The first operational F-15A's were delivered in to combat squadrons in 76'

In 79' the Israeli's shot down a Syrian Mig using it.

Astounding by todays standards. Teething is built in today because it generates funding.

79 posted on 10/16/2017 11:58:51 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: TalonDJ
. They were still writing the software when the productions models were coming off the line JUST LIKE the F-35. The F-22 ALSO needed a SW upgrade after the fact to allow it to use more weapons.

Still remember the F-22 trying a transpac and losing all navigation crossing the date line (or something like that). Had to have the accompanying refueling aircraft lead them back to Hawaii, IIRC.

Software glitch..........

80 posted on 10/16/2017 1:43:41 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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