Posted on 01/14/2023 8:33:19 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Canada And Germany Are The Latest NATO Nations To Join The F-35 “Club” – The debate over whether the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is the world’s best fighter is finished.
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The decisions by two “holdout” major Western powers, Germany and Canada, to acquire the F-35 leaves no doubt regarding the unique contributions that this aircraft can make to both national and NATO security. Multiple analyses and flyoffs by these two countries and others have ended with the same conclusion: the JSF is the best choice with respect to overall value, capability, price, and even maintainability for nations needing to modernize their tactical fighter fleets in the first half of the 21st century.
Canada was one of the original countries, along with the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Australia, and Turkey, in the JSF consortium. Canada invested hundreds of millions in the development of the F-35 and has signed billions of dollars in industrial contracts. The original plan was for Canada to acquire nearly 100 F-35As to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s aging F/A-18s.
However, a new government in Ottawa headed by Justin Trudeau appeared to have buyer’s remorse and put the acquisition on hold in favor of an open competition. The results of that competition proved what more than a dozen countries around the world have concluded, which is that the JSF beats out all its potential rivals. The Canadian government’s official press release regarding its intention to acquire 88 F-35As made clear why the JSF was selected:
“Canada is confident that the F-35 represents the best fighter jet for our country at the best price for Canadians. During the finalization phase of the procurement process, the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin with Pratt & Whitney successfully demonstrated that an agreement to purchase the F-35 fighter jets meets Canada’s requirements and outcomes, including value for money, flexibility, protection against risks, performance, and delivery assurances.”
Canada’s decision was based, in part, on its recognition that eight countries already were successfully operating F-35s, providing demonstrable evidence of the aircraft’s performance, price, and sustainability. Both the U.S. and Israel have employed their F-35s in combat.
Because of the timing of its acquisition decision, Canada will be able to avail itself of the latest upgrades to the F-35. Canadian JSFs will be the Block 4 version which capitalize on the provision of new computing capabilities and power generation to support additional sensors, an improved electronic warfare capability, enhanced data fusion, and at least seventeen new kinetic and non-kinetic weapons.
In addition, Canada and the other F-35 operators will benefit from the current plans to provide an improved engine for the F-35. Currently, the JSF is powered by the Pratt & Whitney (P&W) F135 engine. The Joint Program Office is looking at options for an enhanced powerplant. This would be either an engine enhancement package for the F-135 or an entirely new engine.
The Canadian analysis of the advantages of the F-35 mirrors those of other countries. Switzerland surprised many, particularly in Europe, last year when it chose the JSF over the Eurofighter, Rafale, and F/A-18E/F. It was not surprising that the Swiss determined that the F-35A was more capable than its competitors. What was remarkable was the conclusion by the evaluators that the F-35A would be less costly to acquire, maintain and sustain over the platform’s lifespan.
The fact that the F-35 was the most affordable, maintainable, and sustainable fighter aircraft in the Western world is due, in large measure, to years of effort by the F-35’s team, led by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, and by engine maker P&W, to lean out production processes, improve parts reliability, implement predictive maintenance practices, and manage a complex supply chain.
Germany’s decision to acquire the F-35 followed a course even more torturous than that navigated by Canada. In order to maintain its role as the nation responsible for NATO’s nuclear deterrent, Germany faced an urgent requirement to replace its obsolescent nuclear-capable Tornado jets 2030. While the F-35A was intended from its inception to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, the German government did not want to buy the JSF for fear this would undermine its own efforts to develop a sixth-generation fighter.
Initially Berlin hoped to turn the Eurofighter into a nuclear bomber. When the required alterations to the aircraft and certifications proved too onerous and time-consuming, Germany shifted its attention to the extremely capable F/A-18E/F. But again, the problems of reconfiguring the aircraft for the nuclear mission proved insurmountable. In addition, the survivability of non-stealthy aircraft against a high intensity air defense environment was questionable, at best. Finally, with time running out, Berlin bowed to the inevitable and signed a multi-billion dollar deal to buy 35 F-35As.
Being a member of the JSF club brings with it enhanced interoperability. By joining the F35 community, Canada and Germany will gain not only the world’s premier fifth-generation fighter, but also access to the knowledge base developed by all members with respect to such topics as new air operations, innovative tactics, improved maintenance threat data bases, and advanced training. There is a global F-35 logistics systems in place with depots and maintenance facilities around the world.
As tensions with Russia and Chinese continue or worsen, demand for the F-35 will likely increase, both from countries currently acquiring the aircraft and from those that want to purchase the JSF. Finland followed Switzerland and Poland by choosing to buy 64 JSFs. NATO members Greece and the Czech Republic have expressed strong interest in acquiring the F-35. India, which has acquired a number of U.S. air platforms including the C-17, P-8, C-130J, and Apache attack helicopter, has been mentioned by some observers as a potential future candidate for the JSF family. With the Block 4 improvements coming online and an improved or new engine in the works, the F-35 will continue to attract buyers well into the 21st century.
Expert Biography: A 19FortyFive Contributing Editor, Dr. Daniel Goure is Senior Vice President with the Lexington Institute, a nonprofit public-policy research organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. He is involved in a wide range of issues as part of the institute’s national security program. Dr. Goure has held senior positions in both the private sector and the U.S. Government. Most recently, he was a member of the 2001 Department of Defense Transition Team. Dr. Goure spent two years in the U.S. Government as the director of the Office of Strategic Competitiveness in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He also served as a senior analyst on national security and defense issues with the Center for Naval Analyses, Science Applications International Corporation, SRS Technologies, R&D Associates and System Planning Corporation.
Bkmk
Lots of parts supplied—and most likely every schematic/blueprint stolen—by the ChiComs.
Canada, will, of course, call their variant the “CF-35.”
Someone from Québec, now a U.S. Citizen living in California, will have helped design some new variant of an O-ring for an explosive bolt, so the CF-35 will be billed in the state media as a fighter built by Canada and the U.S.A.,
following in the tradition of the country that built a U.S.-designed articulating arm with one hinge, the CANADARM, as part of the U.S.-CANADA Space Shuttle Program.
Oh, fond memories of my 100% Canadian C7 AKA M-16 rifle!
Oh well. To be Canadian, essentially, is to “not be American.”
Best fighter ever though? Well, different fighters do different things well.
A buddy of mine flew the F22. Let’s just say he would beg to differ.
Okay, okay... Maybe two hinges.
“Lots of parts supplied... by the ChiComs”
Okay, we heard about the turbomachine magnets using Chinese-sourced alloy and the circuit boards made in the U.K. by a well-known and established company owned by Chinese interests. The parts worked, no question about that.
Please supply a list of “lots” of others.
“and most likely every schematic/blueprint stolen”
The Chinese J-20 stealth fighter appears operational clearly without utilizing stolen F-35 blueprints. The design is very different. So unless they’re planning on coming out with an F-35 clone 15 years from now the usefulness of those would appear limited.
F-35 .. best fighter... as long as the F-22 isn’t around
of course, you wouldn’t know it’s around until you’re smoked...
We will not know until they meet enemy fighters in combat how good the F-35 really is. People thought the P-40 was good too. Lets hope we never find out. Give Peace a chance.
“The fact that the F-35 was the most affordable, maintainable, and sustainable fighter“
Odd words to describe your confidence in a fighter. It’s a short legged, slow non maneuverable lightly armed moonpig that is semi stealthy. Decent attack aircraft for some missions. But the minute it’s network is compromised, it’s meat on the plate.
P-40 was a very good plane. Better came along later in the war, but it and the Wildcat were far better than they get credit for in pop culture.
https://www.chuckhawks.com/p40.htm
In 1943 the 325th won two major engagements. On July 1, 22 checker-tailed P-40s were making a fighter sweep over southern Italy when they were jumped by 40 Bf-109s. After an intense air battle, the result was half of the German aircraft shot down for the loss of a single P-40. There was a similar situation on the 30th of July, again over Italy, when 35 Bf-109s ambushed 20 P-40s. On this occasion, 21 German fighters were shot down, again for the loss of a single P-40. Because the pilots of the 325th were trained to maximize the P-40’s strengths and minimize its weaknesses, it became a lethal opponent for the German fighters. The final record of “The Checker-Tailed Clan’s” P-40s was 135 Axis planes shot down (96 were Bf-109s), for only 17 P-40s lost in combat.
I worked all through the winter of 2007/08 at Fort Worth, installing a manufacturing system for the F-35 program. Those words echo precisely what the Lockheed guys thought. They were pretty unhappy that the F-22 program was curtailed.
Somebody somewhere in the Puzzle Palace thinks there won't be a need for a pure air-superiority fighter when we finally have to deal with the Chinese.
An airframe hampered by its' thick airfoil and inadequately supercharged Allison engine. Slower but pretty maneuverable up to about 12,000 feet, but no higher. In the Pacific they were used as low cover, Corsairs and Hellcats in the middle, and P-38s up top.
In a low-altitude scrap with Me-109s, it was no surprise that they did well. The 109 was scary to pull tight turns with at low altitude, because those leading-edge slats didn't always deploy properly, and it also wasn't unknown for a strong hand on the stick to pull the a wing right off.
your final sentence needs to factor something into the equation.
there are those in the US govt actively working to empower the chinese govt while undermining the US. the 0bama admin deliberately shutdown the F-22 for the inferior F-35 while also leaking the F-22 designs to the chinese... who have since put out their own version of it, the J-20.
the long range goal seems to be to supplant the US on the world stage, destroy the country, and discredit it’s govt without losing all the advancements our style of governance has brought the world.
and they’ve been actively doing everything in their power to accomplish these tasks since at least the mid 90s (see: chinagate and the COX report)
“Lots of parts supplied—and most likely every schematic/blueprint stolen—by the ChiComs.”
They don’t have to steal them, since they’re now designing them. At least that’s what my cousin tells me who works in the industry (for Big Defense). At least in his large design facility, over half of the people are Asian, with MANY from China. Sure they’re NOW citizens...but many weren’t born here, and even the ones who were born here see themselves as citizens of China (their parents’ home), first.
But, in the end, Americans simply don’t bother with advanced engineering anymore (some still get BS degrees, but virtually every student for MS and PhD is foreign, and virtually all from China), so what choice does Big Defense have?
F-35 is best multi-role fighter.
F-22 is (still) the best air-superiority fighter (despite being far older).
There's a great youtube video around by a test pilot talking about the F-22 and comparing it with every other aircraft he's flown (LOTS of models).
The former Canadian Government bougt the F-35 and Trudeau cancelled it and now buying them again which will cost more , Trudeau is like his step dad Dirty Pierre and if he needs money he takes it from the military so expect the purchase of F35s to be reduced ,LOL
Our kollege kidz be too woke and too dumb to be studyin dat hard shit, knowhutimsayin? It be BLACK™®©$ (did I make it more importanter enough?) studies fo me, naamean?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-detects-chinese-parts-in-all-f-35s-purchased-after-program-shutdown/ar-AA11EOQg
“and most likely every schematic/blueprint stolen”
I don't have time to look for the original article, but I believe in 2008, it was discovered that cisco, in their stupidity and greed, opened up a factory in china, and $omehow ¢ovine¢e$ the state department to allow the routers to be made there, AND sold to the pentagon. China somehow installed a chip in the routers, thereby likely grabbing every. Single. Thing. We. Ever. Made. We are defeated, we just do not know it yet. And this was BEFORE trannies and woeness.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2018/10/04/the-chinese-spy-chip-story-is-a-reminder-of-how-insecure-our-digital-world-really-is/?sh=44ffc6a77e13
The Chinese J-20 stealth fighter appears operational clearly without utilizing stolen F-35 blueprints.
That's because from what I have read, the J20 is a ripoff of RUSSIAN designs. (as well as a little US thrown in)
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