[sukhoi-30mki]

Foreign buyers of the F-35A may not be aware that the US Air Force is already looking to upgrade its radar, avionics and engine because – a year before its IOC - the current aircraft already cannot match “rapid technology development by potential adversaries.” (USAF photo)

[sukhoi-30mki]

When other systems are upgraded, its capability augmentation, when the F-35 is upgraded, its obsolescence!

[tgusa]

What a POS.

[The Sons of Liberty]

USAF Plans for Radical F-35 Upgrade Reveal Obsolescence

What the Air Force really needs to upgrade are those that occupy positions at the top!

[Vendome]

I heard this crap in the 80’s about nearly every armament we had.

We out spent everyone else into irrelevance.

[rbg81]

The US has enjoyed air superiority for so long, we’ve taken it for granted. Getting our clock cleaned in an air war would be a real wake-up call.

Part of the problem is the acquisition process. These long development cycles almost guarantee that what finally comes out will be obsolete.

[Arm_Bears]

Where do we, the taxpayers who funded this Edsel, go to get our money back?

[Iron Munro]

There must be some darn good lobbyists from the avionics industry working overtime out there.

[DemforBush]

And this bird was supposed to be a “relatively inexpensive” complement to the F-22.

I lay this mostly at the feet of those who thought the F-35 airframe could be all things to all service branches. Especially those who thought adding STOVL variant (F-35B) would not present significant technical challenges. In hindsight (which always has perfect clarity, LOL), it probably would have been more cost effective to design a completely separate aircraft for the Marines and the Brits)

Of course, that’s not how things work in the Pentagon, but you know, JMHO.

[ExTxMarine]

This is what happens when you try to build a one-size-fits-all solution for three VERY DIFFERENT branches of the Armed Services!

Different branches, with different needs, different combat roles, and different purposes need DIFFERENT equipment! PERIOD!

[KarlInOhio]

One thing that I didn't see in the article was whether the radar upgrade is needed right now or if this is just the beginning of a ten year plan. Our adversaries will be constantly improving and we can't wait until they have passed us to start thinking about an upgrade.

"There's a lot of work to be done,” Harrigian said “but from where we sit, we're on the right glide path to IOC.”

Glide path? Maybe the engines needed to be started on the whole project a long time ago.

[armydawg505]

Meanwhile the decision not to buy more F22s looks more and more like a disaster brought to you by Barack Obama.....who else could it be?

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[sickoflibs]

F-35/JSF= middle class welfare

Says they spent $400B so far and projected unit cost will be $250M per fighter, and its never been used having too many problems still fixing, and its already obsolete having taken so long needed major redesigns.

Unfortunately most of the GOP candidates led by Grahanmesty and McCain would respond:
“Dab-nab-it, I don't care if we spent $400T on it so far and it doesn't work, its national security, nothing but the BEST for our troops...DADADA, flags waving, I love Americure”

[-YYZ-]

It’s pretty bad when your procurement, design and development cycle is so long that the plane is obsolete before it even enters service.

[pabianice]

F-35: the flying LCS

[GeronL]

I want to photoshop a propeller onto that thing, but I don’t do photoshop

[PeteePie]

[NormsRevenge]

Bombs away!!!!

Meanwhile B52s 80 years old are still flying,, after being retro’ed a few times..

[hattend]

That’s what happens when an airplane has a 20 year gestation period.

[huldah1776]

In other words, the plans were stolen and new systems have to be created.