OK, the F18 went from Mach 1.8 to Mach 1.6 with after burners... Will the next gen F18 go Mach 1.4?
Meanwhile the JSF, even though it has ineffiencient aerodynamics (with its “heavier than lead” lifter concept) and a canload of contractor subsidies (for its “new-flight” concept and high maintenance when it will fly), can super-cruise.
By the way, the V22 is another odd and costly project that proves however invaluable lately to avoid ground fire and get out of dodge for the Marines in Iraq, despite the naysayers. (I would have prefered a modified Chinook to fly horizontal in a sort of blended body system, a more normal evolution of the traditional flying concepts). But it is about time something like the V22 came out to save our necks, and we must stick to it... to hell or heaven together, else there is no army that stands to call itself an army.
So I think we should stick with JSF and Boeing should move on. Northrope made the same mistake by pulling a F20 Tigershark against the F16.
Even a modified Chinook wouldn't meet the JORD and couldn't fit into the hangar bay on a LHA/LHD plus it would still be hampered by retreating blade stall.
else there is no army that stands to call itself an army.
Too bad that that short-sighted army bailed out on the V-22 back in 1983.
Many aircraft, in clean form, can break Mach without afterburner, including the Eurofighter, but. A clean F-16 can break mach 1.1 without afterburners, but to be considered supercruise you need to be able to sustain Mach 1.5 or above with a normal weapons load.
The F-22 can do this, the F-35 cannot.