Posted on 04/02/2014 9:21:58 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
LMCO may have developmental issues with the F-35, most of which stem from their prototype developmental philosophy, but the aircraft is absolutely outstanding for the application for which it was intended.
The goal of the JSF was to volume produce a supersonic F-117 Stealth Fighter replacement that had several orders of magnitude better stealth properties than the F-117 while providing F-16 or better levels of fighter performance and maneuverability for daytime operation against next generation fighters and air defense systems.
As such it would fill a missing slot in the US Airforce caused by the retirement of the F-117, and would also replace the strike fighter version of the F-18 for the Navy and the AV-8 Harrier for the Marines with an attack aircraft with infinitely better stealth than the F-117 Stealth fighter but still have fighter capabilities at least on par with the F-16
Problem is, JSF was never intended to be a dedicated air superiority fighter, that job went to the ATF’s F-22 raptor. The JSF was always designed to be a strike fighter attack aircraft first and foremost, but one with outstanding air combat capabilities in it's own right.
LMCO came close enough to this goal that the F-35 could theoretically be pitched as an actual dedicated air superiority platform.
Our beloved Obama Administration and Democrat Congressional political leadership disingenuously cancelled the F-22 and the entire ATF program when they a=had 100% control of the government with the lie that they would replace the F-22 with the F-35, a task which the F-35 is incapable of doing
Now they want to kill the F-35.
Despite people hyping technology as the biggest baddest most advanced thing, technology seldom lives us to its billing —
The Pentagon can account for its money? HA!! You’re a funny guy. The DoD can’t account for TRILLIONS of dollars.
Anyone remember the F-111 Aardvark, the be all, do everything plane of the 70s for all the services? I believe it was referred to as the "Flying Edsel". In the end none wanted it, and the Air Force was the only one to buy it - forced by congress to do so.
Now in the 21st Century, the F-35 is playing this role. The F-35 is supposed to fill all the needs of all the services.
You can thank Dubya and his SecDef Robert Gates for cancelling the F-22.
The mantra during F-15 design was “not one pound for air to ground”. The result of this focus on air combat with no compromise is the only fighter plane in history never defeated in air combat. The F-22 could have been the next fighter to do this. So we dump it for a tri-service turd.
That is true until the Air Force grew tired of the bland single mission concept and developed the F-15E Mud Hen.
They’ve been itching to kill the A-10 because it’s ONLY a single mission aircraft (at one point a CAS variant of the F-16 was tested)
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article18.html
And these same morons later dictated that the F-22 had to be able to carry bombs
“The (Lockheed)A-12 was produced from 1962 to 1964, and was in operation from 1963 until 1968. It was the precursor to the twin-seat U.S. Air Force YF-12 prototype interceptor, M-21 drone launcher, and the famous SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft.”
“The McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II was a proposed American attack aircraft from McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics. It was to be an all-weather, carrier-based stealth bomber replacement for the Grumman A-6 Intruder in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Its Avenger II name was taken from the Grumman TBF Avenger of World War II.
The development of the A-12 was troubled by cost overruns and several delays, causing questions of the program’s ability to deliver upon its objectives; these doubts led to the development program being canceled in 1991.”
I Stand CORRECTED!
“Gen. Michael Hostage (ironic name really)”
Could be worse....
We had a Major Dick when I was stationed in Germany, and no he didn’t live up to his name.
“I seem to recall that there were a lot of F-16 parts used in the F-117. Is that true?”
F-16, F/A-18, and F-15.
I knew somebody would come along and correct me...
That is my point. The B-52 is still in service because any attempt to replace it would look much like it. A world class long range flying dump truck. The F-22 has the single mission focus.
A Suburban is like a multi role fighter bomber. It can haul lots of stuff, go off road, stomp through snow and tow trailers.
On a road race track a Corvette will kick it's ass. The F-35 is a Suburban. The F-22 is the Corvette.
They have better accountability than all the other agencies.
How much can the Dept of Education account for?
HHS?
EPA?
DHS?
Funny though that you post an article by a guy (paltrow) who has ties with the America hating 0bama boot licking Center for American Progress.
You said the Pentagon can account for its money. It clearly can’t. Don’t shoot the messenger when you don’t have your facts straight.
Here’s a similar article from 2002. It quotes Donald Rumsfeld on the problem. Is he America hating too?
Clearly this has been an ongoing problem. You can assail the messengers all you want, but when it comes to finance, the Pentagon is inept bordering on criminal.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-war-on-waste/
The airframe for Navy aircraft has to be built MUCH stronger
with WAY more flexible landing gear to withstand a lifetime of carrier landings.
It’s stupid to have all that weight of airframe and landing gear on an Air Force version taking away useful payload from fuel and weapons.
They don’t have the same landing gear...
My understanding was all the F-22 production materials were taken to Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, CA.
“A total of more than 30,000 jigs, fixtures and other “tooling” used to build the plane are being logged into a database and tucked into containers, some custom built, for long-term storage at Sierra Army Depot, Herlong, California.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/13/us-fighter-usa-lockheed-idUSTRE7BC09T20111213
'twert yore fault!
Sum gubmint idjot named 'em the SAME!!
Seriously, the only reason I looked it up was because I really like the stuff that came out of the Skunk Works.
Were you "Black shoe" or "Brown shoe"?
“Were you “Black shoe” or “Brown shoe”?”, BOTH(Was an “ABH” and then SCORE converted to “IS”).
I hope that’s right. They might be able to resurrect the program if we come to our senses...
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