F-35 pictures.
F-35 pictures.
As a former flight test guy who flew the ‘15 in the early 70s at Edwards, the F-35 looks like our new version of the F-111, which was known as McNamara’s switch blade Edsel. The 111 did turn out OK, but not even close to what was intended for the airframe.
Methinks that we’d have been much better off continuing the F-22 for a bit, maybe doing an upgrade on the F-15, and looking into something a bit more affordable for the next gen fighter.
ping for later
Yes, it’s 100% accurate. Trump has ordered an inquiry into competition for the program by looking at modernized super hornets.
Didn’t the Israelis already fly their 2 F-35s in a combat mission?
Design by committee bad enough. Trying to please a committee of countries is recipe for failure.
My biggest concern on this is as follows:
A good percentage of people “in-the-know” will tell you that the F-35 is a fantastic plane — it aces all the tests, it triumphs over our other planes, it dominates the battlefield and it changes the very nature of air warfare.
And a good percentage of people “in-the-know” will tell you that it’s a piece of junk, can barely fly, does a poor job at each of its missions, costs too much, and is a huge waste of USAF resources which has weakened our ability to wage war in the air for the foreseeable future.
It can’t be both. Is this how we do engineering? Don’t we know???
Answer: it’s all just politics.
F-16 pilot friend says he thinks it’s a darn good plane
F-16 pilot friend says he thinks it’s a darn good plane
I rub shoulders with a lot of Minot AFB personnel. The opinion of those who care is it’s trying to be too many things to too many end users. It doesn’t do 1-2 things really really well. It’s trying to do 1-2 dozen things pretty good.
For a definitive opinion on the aircraft, let ace naval aviator John McCain fly one. With Harrison Ford in the right seat (if it has one).
Do John McCain and Lindsey Graham have their fingerprints all over this?
Airforce should Get F-22. I’m a bit sad that Trump approved purchase for more F-35 with lots of problems remaining with the plane. Sure he negotiated for cheaper price, but its not worth it if the plane is poor quality
“I know this is UK reporting, but is there any truth to this? I didn’t realize the F-35 project was in such bad shape. “
Leftist anti-military articles can say anything and be believed on FR. As long as it is anti F-35 some people here will believe anything said by anyone.
See how many people you can convince of this statement:
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin, along with over a dozen other countries, collaborated on the development of a Trillion dollar fighter aircraft that doesn’t work.
It just doesn’t pass the smell test.
All new fighters have issues. Always have. Always will.
This must inspire the pilots....!
Maybe they can open the canopy and drop bombs out like in WW1.
FTA: hamstrung by low resolution and range. That means if pilots are trying to single out a ground target, they need a first approach that’s too close to use guided weapons, so they have to blow their cover, then circle back to a safe distance before launching an attack.
A pilot might revert to the cannon in such a circumstance, but at the moment, that doesn’t work either.
It’s a total bunch of bullshit. The F-35 just racked up a 20:1 kill ratio at the last Red Storm - (I think that’s what its called) - in Nevada going against the best current aircraft in the world. It gives it’s pilots a situational awareness unlike pilots of any other aircraft have. The F-35 pilots helmet is a wonder of technology as it and cameras placed strategically around the aircraft allow the pilots to see 360degrees, even through the aircraft. The pilots love it and in the military aviation community most pilots want to fly it. There are a plethora of video’s on YouTube that talk about it’s performance in Red Storm and other recent realistic simulations against foreign aircraft. The greatest asset for the F-35 is the fact that it is the most stealthy aircraft ever built, it can lock-up and target missiles against enemy aircraft without ever using its own radar meaning an enemy fighter targeted by an F-35 has no idea the F-35 just targeted and launched a missile at him. The enemy pilots will not even know where the F-35’s are and you cannot kill what you cannot see. The F-35 is a great aircraft, it is an absolute game changer and has capabilities that no other tactical Fighter/Strike Aircraft in the world has, it is here to stay. Those that denigrate it are just spitting sour grapes, most of them worked on the competing projects and never let an opportunity to criticize it go by.