Posted on 02/26/2021 5:57:41 AM PST by Red Badger
Going back to the drawing board again could see the ageing F-16’s replaced in 2040, once they’re 60 years old. The United States Air Force announced the need for a new multi-use fighter jet to replace its aging F-16 fleet, while stressing that it would not feature the same high-price tag and technological prowess of the F-35.
The announcement, made by Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Brown came as a surprise to defence analysts, given that the F-35 was pegged as the modern fifth generation aircraft that would replace the F-16.
Instead, Air Force Chief Brown suggested they would develop a “fifth-generation-minus” fighter jet.
Nearly twenty years ago, the USAF set out to develop a replacement to the F-16’s successor, but the program only continued to grow prohibitively expensive as more cutting edge technology was poured into it. When it grew too expensive, other nations were brought in as partners to offset the runaway costs.
In an ironic twist, the F-35 has become the kind of dilemma it was initially supposed to resolve. Now, a new fighter jet is needed to meet the needs of the US Air Force.
Running the F-35 for 66 years is expected to cost $1.182 trillion, on top of its already hefty development cost of $397.8 billion. The F-35 costs slightly less than $100 million per plane. But cost is the least of its concerns.
Bugs and flaws
In spite of its advanced technology and cutting-edge capabilities, the latest stealth fighter suffers from structural flaws and slew of challenges.
Most recent among them is a structural engine flaw and shortage in its production.
The F-35’s engine problem is partly based in not being able to deliver them for maintenance as fast as needed, in addition to a problem with the heat coating on its rotor blades which shortens engine lifespan considerably.
Defense News described it as a “serious readiness problem”, suggesting that as soon as 2022, nearly 5 to 6 per ent of the F-35 fleet could be effectively grounded as it waits for engine replacements.
Another challenge is the plane’s software. Most modern fighter jets have between 1 to 2 million lines of code in their software. The F-35 averages 8 million lines of code in its software, and it’s suffering from a bug problem.
To fix this, the US Department of Defense is asking three American universities to help figure it out.
The fighter jet also suffers from a slightly embarrassing touchscreen problem. After making the switch from hard flipped switches to touch screens, pilots report that unlike a physical switch that you’re confident has been activated, touch screens in the plane don’t work 20 percent of the time says one F-35 pilot.
Aging fleet, modern enemies
Amid all these challenges, To justify his decision, Air Force Chief Brown compared the F-35 to a Ferrari.
“You don’t drive your Ferrari to work every day, you only drive it on Sundays. This is our ‘high end’ fighter, we want to make sure we don’t use it all for the low-end fight,” he said in a press conference on February 17.
In a nutshell, Brown wants to limit how often the F-35 is being used, as then develop a less advanced replacement.
The current fleet of F-16’s are old. Even the newest variants among them were bought in 2001. To replace the thousand F-16’s the USAF uses as a workhorse fighter jet will be a tall order. Ordering more F-16’s isn’t an option either, if only because they’re falling behind the technological curve.
Russia is already fielding its considerably cheaper Sukhoi-57 5th generation fighter jet. While it does not boast the technological prowess of the F-35, there’s considerable doubt that the F-35 could stand up to the Su-57 in a one-on-one dogfight.
This is mainly given the F-35 excels in fighting from a distance. China is also fielding it’s twin-seater J-20 fighter jet, which promises considerable offensive capabilities.
In essence, the F-35 was designed to have ultimate technological superiority. But doing too much means compromises in design.
To adapt to different demands, the F-35 has multiple, costly versions. Lockheed Martin provides a regular version suited to land operations, one specifically designed for aircraft carrier take-off, a smaller naval variant, not to mention a vertical take-off variant.
But having so many versions of the F-35 leads to a much more complex design. Resolving issues in one variant, doesn’t mean they’re resolved in the rest.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing to prevent the next fifth generation ‘minus’ plane from encountering the same challenges that brought the F-35 to its current predicament.
More dangerously, developing a new jet could take decades. Two decades by the F-35’s benchmark. By then, the F-16’s will be nearly 60 years old.
Sorry. Can’t say I support the patriot-purged, commie-
led military. No toys for you. Slash the budget and defund.
“Amid all these challenges, To justify his decision, Air Force Chief Brown compared the F-35 to a Ferrari.
“You don’t drive your Ferrari to work every day, you only drive it on Sundays. This is our ‘high end’ fighter, we want to make sure we don’t use it all for the low-end fight,” he said in a press conference on February 17.”
I’ve read it’s Gen-5 stealth will last only 5-8 years as detection technology catches up.We have expensive multi-tasker that doesn’t do any single task at an excellent level, but “pretty good” level for now.
This is why I support taking the A-10 back to the drawing board and updating it. Not reinventing it, but just bringing it into the 21st century of technology. Keep it strictly the ground support beast that it is and the boots on the ground love. Transfer it over to the Army/Marines if the Air Force hates it’s mission so much.
A-10 Warthog...................UGLY AND DEADLY................. A GREAT COMBO!.....................
Russia’s military budget $65 billion
China’s $174 billion
U.S. $732 billion
I heartily agree!
The A-10 is as effective as it is ugly.
Unless you’re ground troops - then it’s a beautiful angel on your shoulder.
They can name it the "Buffalo 2".
Zeros over Hawaii came as a surprise to defense analysts, along with everything else since then.
Since I joined the US Air Force in 1976, I have read articles in the popular press about how our major weapons systems were inferior, badly made, infrastructurally unsound, and failures when compared to Soviet/Russian and now Chinese systems. This continued my entire military career, and even to this day.
The M1 Tank, the Bradly fighting vehicle, the f-15, 16 and 18 fighters, the C-17 aircraft, the Apache, Blackhawk and Osprey helicopters—and so many more—all were said to be abject failures who would not complete a single combat mission and would in fact get their crews killed or captured.
I’m not saying many of the criticisms are wrong, it is good to be skeptical until results are proved one or the other. Flaws need to be pointed out so they can be addressed.
But I also remember how these “Lousy” systems did in Desert Storm and suddenly all the bad press disappeared.
I think it is a good thing for the Air Force to start thinking hard about air superiority against a formidable enemy, and not just concentrate on aircraft used to strafe and bomb terrorists who have no aircraft of their own to fight back.
So a Pentagon Air Force General says that we need a new fighter aircraft, why am I not surprised? And who’s fault is it that we bought a Ferrari when we needed a Chevy and why do I feel the next fighter program will be another “Flying Edsel”? Oh yeah, business as usual in the Pentagon Procurement Circus.
I’m no expert on any of this military stuff, but I do know touch screens. To bring a touch screen into a combat situation is insanity. Aren’t pilots wearing gloves?
“Oh crap, I thought that app launched...”
The boondoggle that came out of the “non-competition” between F-22 and F-35 for multiservice fighter “savings” is now... a complete joke. The pricetag was and is outrageous.
There is NO way we need yet another fighter. The chi-coms stole all of our tech, so no we need to up the ante again— and stick it to the US taxpayers. For exactly... what?
Yapping and yapping how great the F-35 is and now this jacka@@ says it is outmoded? What the HELL?
This is the Cheney mil-industrial war monger money scum at work. This is beyond ridiculous. Check how many F-35s with useful service life are in service now... all services.
Yes, because if we need money, the Federal Reserve can just print it.
IMO it is far better to have many TIE-fighters (F16, Warthos, etc) and very few Death Stars(F35). Even if the Death Star has massive capability, one lucky shot from a camel jocky on the ground and boom, a billion USD makes a large hole in the sand. And while a lucky shot from a camel jocky on the ground may also bring down a TIE fighter, the hole in the sand is not near as expensive. And since there usually are more than one TIE fighters around the action, the camel jocky has will soon be counting virgins.
First, I strongly recommend a study of the process that turned the F-35 into a fiasco so that it is not replicated with the new aircraft.
THEN I recommend those most responsible be properly punished.
Then, MAYBE, we get a new aircraft.
At this point, I might recommend going to a partnership with the Soviets, er, Russians on the PAK-FA. Give them Western sensors, avionics, and engines. They might work pretty well.
Amid all these challenges, To justify his decision, Air Force Chief [of Staff General Charles Q.] Brown compared the F-35 to a Ferrari.
“You don’t drive your Ferrari to work every day, you only drive it on Sundays. This is our ‘high end’ fighter, we want to make sure we don’t use it all for the low-end fight,” he said in a press conference on February 17.
Unbelievable!! USAF leadership has really gone downhill.
Boeing is producing the F15EX Multi role fighter with all new modern avionics. It also carries a hella external payload. I think the air force has already ordered 144 of them.
The Zeroes were only a surprise because the ONI refused to listen to people who had actually fought them in China...
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