[EQAndyBuzz]

Why would a 5th gen aircraft that is stealth have external armament? Or is that what “Beast Mode” is?

[PilotDave]

“Durability testing data indicates service-life of initial F-35B short-takeoff-vertical landing jets bought by Marine Corps “is well under” expected service life of 8,000 fleet hours; “may be as low as 2,100″ hours.” They buried that little nugget. Wow, that is criminally bad.

[Vermont Lt]

8,000 fleet hours seems low to me. Are we really building aircraft with a lifespan of 7 years?

[Doogle]

..we had M-188 750lb LGB's back in 1969...

[DesertRhino]

Beast mode- Also known as zero stealth. So it just becomes a slowish moonpig that cannot maneuver.
Btw- they keep calling it stealthy. It is orders of magnitude more visible than an F-117.

[DesertRhino]

Wow-6 bombs, 2 sidewinders, 2 sparrows. That’s a real “bomb truck”.

[Sequoyah101]

"Beast mode"? Two missiles and four 500 lb bombs is beast mode? You gotta be kidding me. I hate to say it but I doubt the airplane will make it to the "Third Day of War". I realize it is taking off from a LHA and no other aircraft can do that but "Beast Mode"? Sounds downright silly. According to a Pentagon test office document recently obtained by Bloomberg, “Durability testing data indicates service-life of initial F-35B short-takeoff-vertical landing jets bought by Marine Corps “is well under” expected service life of 8,000 fleet hours; “may be as low as 2,100″ hours.” 2,100 hours? 8,000 is unreasonably low for this kind of investment. 2,100 is failure. What a monumental failure. It would simply be a waste but it is much worse. It is a waste that has crippled us. The weak efforts to put a good face on are pitiful.

[Mariner]

This adds 10 “small” carriers to the fleet. Each capable of carrying 12-20 F-35B.

And they’re STILL bigger than any non-US carrier afloat except the British.

That said, there is no plan to employ them in that configuration. They will remain Amphibious Assault Ships with the principal mission of deploying a Battalion Landing Team and supporting it for 30 days unassisted.

In that configuration they would carry but 6 F-35s, augmented by up to 40 helos, both attack and transport.

[Kickass Conservative]

It’s magical, an F-35 that turns into an F-16 on the third day of War.

It is a great replacement for the Harrier Jump Jet though.

[Chode]

so now it's a 1/4 ass bombtruck... somewhere, PukinDog is laughing