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F-35 beaten in a dogfight by F-16
Daily Mail ^ | 6/30/15 | Imogen Calderwood

Posted on 06/30/2015 11:52:34 AM PDT by Teflonic

It’s the most expensive weapon in history, but the F-35 stealth jet has been outperformed by a 40-year-old F-16 jet in a dogfight.

A mock air battle was held over the Pacific Ocean, between the cutting-edge F-35, the most sophisticated jet ever, and an F-16, which was designed in the 1970s.

But according to the test pilot, the F-35, which has cost the US military more than $350billion, is still too slow to hit an enemy plane or dodge gunfire.

The dogfight, staged in January near Edwards Air Force Base, California, was designed to test the F-35’s ability in close-range combat at 10,000 to 30,000 feet.

Both the F-35 pilot and the F-16 pilot were attempting to ‘shoot down’ each other down.

But, according to the pilot’s report, the F-35 performed so appallingly that he deemed it completely inappropriate for fighting other aircraft within visual range.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: davidaxe; f16; f35; pos; usaf; warisboring; wasteofmoney
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To: fishtank

“Old-timers: F-16s have flown in combat missions over Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and Libya”

Looks like those may be the new Strike Eagle variant of the classic Viper/Lawn Dart.


61 posted on 06/30/2015 1:21:51 PM PDT by ReconViper 1
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To: Teflonic

John Boyd laughs from the beyond.


62 posted on 06/30/2015 1:24:22 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Teflonic

When the F-16 was built it was touted for its force multiplication capability. The Air Force pitted 2 F-16s against 5 F-5s flown by pilots trained to imitate Russian tactics.

The F-16s didn’t do well at all.

I’ve worked for a USAF SPO. They exist to keep the military employed and funnel money to conglomerate weapons manufacturers. They don’t exist to create great weapons at low cost.

Refusing to buy the F-20 Tigershark was proof enough.


63 posted on 06/30/2015 1:26:48 PM PDT by ArGee (Just don't try to stand on the tail.)
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To: drbuzzard

Exactly. The F-16 was specifically built to dogfight better than other A/C, especially the F-4, F-14 and even the F-15 (which was thought to be too large).


64 posted on 06/30/2015 1:30:36 PM PDT by rbg81
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To: drewh

“Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full”


65 posted on 06/30/2015 1:48:54 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: LeonardFMason

The oxygen problem was the primary bug in the system along with the huge cost per unit. Prior to that, the leading edges of the wings had a habit of delaminating and there were problems with the canopy, which I can’t find a reference for right at the moment.


66 posted on 06/30/2015 1:53:09 PM PDT by david665
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To: driftdiver

I once went to the golf driving range and was slogging balls 250-300 yrds out.

Guys kept coming up asking me what driver I was using, as they clutched their “Ping” and other fancy clubs.

Each time, I told them I was whatever I grabbed from the clubhouse and they would walk off pissed, insisting I was some kinduh A-hole for keeping a secret.

At the end of a few hours I quit and went to have a drink.

Asked the manager what kind of club I was using and replied some crazy old stick.

Turns out it was some beat up 30 year old Ben Hogan.

Same thing happens at the gun range. Guys complain aboit the gun, I pick it up and it shoots fine....


67 posted on 06/30/2015 1:54:20 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Vendome

Goose got cooked for real in mad max.


68 posted on 06/30/2015 1:58:49 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Vendome

Kind of a stupid story.

Yes the pilot makes a difference, but Chuck Yeager isn’t going to make a Cessna fly faster than the speed of sound.


69 posted on 06/30/2015 2:02:04 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: pfflier

Agreed. Not that the two were called competing against each other, but imagine if the F-20 had been picked instead of the F-16. There is no way the smaller F-20 would be able to carry all the stuff the F-16 has.


70 posted on 06/30/2015 2:15:54 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: drbuzzard

OK... enough..

the last gunfighter was the F-8...

put this thing up against an old F-8..

my guess.... it will lose


71 posted on 06/30/2015 3:18:21 PM PDT by joe fonebone (Time to put the taxpayer first)
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To: Vendome

My dad used to used to say, “A poor workman always blames his tools.”


72 posted on 06/30/2015 3:24:33 PM PDT by KC Burke (Ceterum censeo Islam esse delendam)
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To: USNBandit
I know the F-20 was independently entered as a competitor in the LWF program. I'm not sure anyone in USAF procurement took that seriously.

Don't get me wrong the T-38/F-5 airframe is very capable and nimble. But, like you said, it's a 1950's design that had already maxed out it's growth potential.

It is a tribute to the F-16/F-17 design teams that their respective planes evolved into domineering 4th generation fighters.

73 posted on 06/30/2015 3:25:35 PM PDT by pfflier
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To: Teflonic

I’ve said from Day 1 that we will never see the F-35 Edsel in full production. We won’t. Maybe someone more enlightened than I regarding “stealth” could let me know how the Russians, Chinese, etc are doing reacting to it. Last I heard, the Russians had stealth beat with a new radar. (Sold it to Libya ?) It is only a matter of time.


74 posted on 06/30/2015 5:45:37 PM PDT by Dartman (Canadian, eh. And proud of it.)
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To: TheThirdRuffian

Good analysis.


75 posted on 06/30/2015 8:07:23 PM PDT by X-spurt (CRUZ missile - armed and ready.)
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To: Sparky1776; pfflier

A couple of year back I happened to be in Antofagasta, Chile, where the Chilean Air Force stationed their newly acquired Squadron of F-16s (procured from the Dutch, I believe).

Their take off was often south over the city. More than once I had the pleasure to see these F-16 jet jockies take off, some going damn near straight up and another doing a roll, both in full AB. Impressive.


76 posted on 06/30/2015 8:20:53 PM PDT by X-spurt (CRUZ missile - armed and ready.)
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To: Political Junkie Too

Test Pilot Admits the F-35 Can’t Dogfight
https://medium.com/war-is-boring/test-pilot-admits-the-f-35-can-t-dogfight-cdb9d11a875


77 posted on 06/30/2015 8:32:49 PM PDT by Valin (I'm not completely worthless. I can be used as a bad example.)
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