Posted on 02/25/2021 4:07:10 PM PST by maddog55
The U.S. Air Force’s top officer wants the service to develop an affordable, lightweight fighter to replace hundreds of Cold War-vintage F-16s and complement a small fleet of sophisticated—but costly and unreliable—stealth fighters.
The result would be a high-low mix of expensive “fifth-generation” F-22s and F-35s and inexpensive “fifth-generation-minus” jets, explained Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown Jr.
If that plan sounds familiar, it’s because the Air Force a generation ago launched development of an affordable, lightweight fighter to replace hundreds of Cold War-vintage F-16s and complement a small future fleet of sophisticated—but costly and unreliable—stealth fighters.
But over 20 years of R&D, that lightweight replacement fighter got heavier and more expensive as the Air Force and lead contractor Lockheed Martin LMT -1.4% packed it with more and more new technology.
Yes, we’re talking about the F-35. The 25-ton stealth warplane has become the very problem it was supposed to solve. And now America needs a new fighter to solve that F-35 problem, officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
From a fiscal perspective i’d agree
From a technical,perspective its accomplished more than i think most give it credit for. Especally the stovl model the marines use, far better and flyable than the harrier.
China is coming.
Time to tell the whiz kids we’re not made of money! Enough with all the new toys! Stick with what works until a genuine need arises.
The end of a great nation. Currency debasement, rampant inflation, government corruption, moral degradation, unjust laws, erasure of the past, teaching false doctrine. Sound familiar?
Drones. UAVs.
F-35 works with them.
Cheaper jets could too.
Wasn’t the F-35 meant to be the version of the F-22 that’s carrier capable?
Paging the Boeing F-32 “Bat Plane” fighter.
Stealth costs a lot to maintain.
Forbes was sold to a Hong Kong company and is now controlled by the Chi-coms.
I get it. Just sold a $40k car and bought a $5k truck. I can buy several more if I want.
Don’t worry. He’ll “clarify” his remarks. They’ve probably got thumbscrews on him now.
Truth is not wanted in 2021 America.
The "genuine need" has arisen, and it's called "China". However, I'm far from sure that the F-35 is what's needed.
We need use cases!
The last three paragraphs are required reading LOL!
“But it’s an open question whether the Air Force will ever succeed in developing a light, cheap fighter...”
Is this another piece of overpriced junk from Lockheed Martin? That company owns Congress.
Pilotless...
(Ducking)
For asymmetrical warfare, piloted aircraft and super carriers are great. For a full on symmetrical war, those two systems will either be hidden, or blown up.
Argue all you want. That’s a fact.
As far as old planes are concerned,I always liked the B-58 Hustler.
Quotable.
We’ve spent the past 20 years fighting people who live in caves. Our toys are nicer than theirs. I suppose we’ve kicked their butts, but we haven’t exactly “won”.
We keep buying new toys. Not really because we need them. Not really because the old toys are bad. We buy toys because that’s what we do.
If China causes trouble, I do not think we will go toe to toe with them. The quality of our planes and our ships is likely to be inconsequential. A missile into the 3 Gorges Dam is likely to do all that we need.
I think this has become a very expensive, silly game.
Heck, the best choice now is an ancient B-52 that drops a swarm of UAVs controlled by nearby “pilots”.
Dern B-52s can do anything...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.