Posted on 08/18/2015 1:23:33 PM PDT by lbryce
The F-35 Lightning II passed a major milestone last month when the Marine Corps declared it operational, but the accomplishment has not silenced critics. A Washington think tank released a report Tuesday that found the 5th-generation jet – billed as the world's most advanced fighter – will be outmaneuvered in dogfights with current Russian and Chinese jets as well as the U.S. aircraft it is slated to replace. The report comes after details were leaked last month on a test flight where the F-35 was bested in most aerial maneuvering by an F-16. "The F-35 will find itself outmaneuvered, outgunned, out of range, and visible to enemy sensors," according to Bill French, a policy analyst with the National Security Network, a progressive think tank that claims to challenge overly militarized conservative defense policies. "Staying the present course [on the aircraft program] may needlessly gamble away a sizable margin of American airpower at great expense and unnecessary risk to American lives." The think tank has an advisory board that includes Sandy Berger, the national security advisor to President Bill Clinton, and Richard Clarke, a senior White House advisor to several administrations. A call and email request for comment were not immediately answered.
After 14 years and over $390 billion invested, the first F-35s entered service just two weeks ago when the Marines completed a battery of tests on a squadron of Harrier variants in Yuma, Ariz., and declared it ready for deployment around the world. Navy and Air Force variants are still being developed, and U.S. weapons contractor Lockheed Martin is working to overcome software and engine difficulties. The Defense Department says the joint strike fighter will bring cutting-edge technology to the battlefield and become the backbone of United States air power over the next five decades.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
As a replacement for the Marine Harrier it’s probably ideal.
Interceptor? No.
Of course!
Everyone knows 2000+ MRAPs are far more useful in the upcoming US homeland street warfare OPs, than 200 F-22s could ever be.
Sadly, about 1000 of those 2000 MRAPs that we cancelled the F-22 program for are now in the hands of ISIS , Al Qaeda or Iranian sympathizing Iraqi forces and are being used against us.
Kind of makes you sick to your stomach, no?
That is all you need to know about this report
I like your comments about specialized aircraft like the WartHog. I admire it too.
I like the F-22 very much. It’s long range super-cruise w/o afterburners is amazing.
It has a long range.
I think we should have built more of them. They sold us the F35 as the go-to, but I don’t think it fills the bill for the F22.
IMO the F22 knocks out SAM sights and then allows other aircraft to come in after we’ve gained control of the air.
Like dogs going back to their vomit...this rehashed article based on an “opinion” piece by the
National Security Network (Which, btw, endorses the nuclear deal with Iran), is defined as follows:
- Characterizing itself as “progressive”
- hosts the liberal global affairs blog Democracy Arsenal
- aims to “build a strong progressive national security and counter conservative spin.”
- believes that national security is a local issue
- Praised cuts in the F-22
http://nsnetwork.org/gen-paul-eaton-praises-senate-for-stripping-f-22-from-defense-authorization/
- in favor of the F-35
Funny, they were for it before they were against it...typical liberals and FR dupes sucking up any negative propaganda pushed by liberals.
Always ask the question: “If liberals are against something outlined as a basic construct of the Constitution, how does it benefit them and hurt the U.S.?”
F-35, I’d take a MiG-21 over it.
The National Security Network (NSN) is a non-profit foreign policy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, that focuses on international relations, global affairs and national security. Characterizing itself as "progressive," the NSN's mission statement asserts the group aims to "build a strong progressive national security and counter conservative spin."
Not if I had my radar going, sometimes it does come down to the quality of the pilot too. The F-35 is a flying claptrap.
Been saying that since the X-29 made that obvious.
You can't even roll a Mig 21 faster than 180 degrees per second without the aircraft departing from controlled flight.
BTW, don't depend too much on your radar system in the Mig -21.
The Russians used grain alcohol for cooling the radar system and for the de ice systems and the Soviet ground crews used to steal the alcohol to get drunk with and cut the fluid with water to keep from getting caught.
The Soviets reported lost quite a few aircraft this way in Siberia.
More, in fact, than they ever lost in combat.
With any luck, our adversaries read your post and stock up Mig 21 to counter the F-35 threat.
F-35 pilots everywhere will offer a toast to your name nightly in officer's clubs around the world
Thank you for your service to our country.
No the A-12 was Dick Chaney's stuff up.
I do have a MiG-21bis app on my phone and know about the alcohol radar cooling system. If I may use a football analogy, any given football team can beat any other given football team on any given Sunday.
Kelly Johnson has been there, done that and bought the t-shirt
I don’t know, pilots are known to hit the radar coolant themselves from time to time.
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