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Report: F-35 Inferior to Older US, Foreign Fighters
Military.com ^ | August 11, 2015 | Travis J. Tritten

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 ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aerospace; f35
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To: lbryce

As a replacement for the Marine Harrier it’s probably ideal.
Interceptor? No.


21 posted on 08/18/2015 2:40:10 PM PDT by Vinnie
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To: MarchonDC09122009
RE: “Sure glad we scrapped the F-22 Raptor program so we could buy MRAPs.”

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?

22 posted on 08/18/2015 2:43:54 PM PDT by rdcbn (Amen)
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To: lbryce
The think tank has an advisory board that includes Sandy Berger

That is all you need to know about this report

23 posted on 08/18/2015 2:45:45 PM PDT by Magnum44 (I dissent)
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To: alloysteel

I like your comments about specialized aircraft like the WartHog. I admire it too.


24 posted on 08/18/2015 2:51:39 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (It's beginning to look like "Morning in America" again. Comment on YouTube under Trump Free Ride.)
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To: alloysteel

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.


25 posted on 08/18/2015 2:59:07 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (It's beginning to look like "Morning in America" again. Comment on YouTube under Trump Free Ride.)
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To: lbryce

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.?”


26 posted on 08/18/2015 3:19:42 PM PDT by SZonian (Throwing our allegiances to political parties in the long run gave away our liberty.)
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To: lbryce

F-35, I’d take a MiG-21 over it.


27 posted on 08/18/2015 3:29:18 PM PDT by Nowhere Man ("I wish we were back in the world of Andy Williams." - My mother, 1938-2013, RIP)
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To: Nowhere Man
F-35, I’d take a MiG-21 over it.


Then you would die before you even had a chance to know you were dead
28 posted on 08/18/2015 3:32:26 PM PDT by rdcbn (Amen)
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To: lbryce
Guess which one wins in a dogfighting simulation?



29 posted on 08/18/2015 3:36:00 PM PDT by Rodamala
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To: lbryce
"A Washington think tank...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."

Yet another commie propaganda article.

National Security Network
Wikipedia
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."

That's most of what we've been seeing here: posts for socialist candidates who obviously lie, dishonest attacks against the only candidate who has cut much government spending, commie anti-defense propaganda and more.

The article is built on red herrings. It's anti-American trash.


30 posted on 08/18/2015 4:03:21 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: lbryce
Let's elect Scott Walker and cut about half of government spending on civilians shown in the following. Then, we will no longer see this flood of commie propaganda.

Heavy Hitters: Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2014
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $60,949,129 [Democrat] 81% [Republican] 1%”

Leviathan (Uncle Sam employs more people than you think)
National Review ^ | 02/03/2011 | Iain Murray
"...nearly 40 million Americans employed in some way by government."


31 posted on 08/18/2015 4:07:44 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: rdcbn

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.


32 posted on 08/18/2015 4:15:07 PM PDT by Nowhere Man ("I wish we were back in the world of Andy Williams." - My mother, 1938-2013, RIP)
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To: fini
Additionally, I think we need to focus on drones. They are the future. The planes can take more G forces than the pilots.

Been saying that since the X-29 made that obvious.

33 posted on 08/18/2015 4:16:45 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: lbryce
"After 14 years and over $390 billion invested, the first F-35s entered service just two weeks ago..."

Great classic short story about people who believe that. They will embark on their fabulous vacations to Venus at the end of this default process. May it come very soon.


34 posted on 08/18/2015 4:21:14 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: Nowhere Man; rdcbn
"F-35, I’d take a MiG-21 over it."

"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."

But there's no radar.


35 posted on 08/18/2015 4:31:16 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: Nowhere Man
There is only one place in it's flight envelope where a Mig 21 Bis might be able to have snowballs chance against an F-35 and no pilot would ever intentionally go there .

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.

36 posted on 08/18/2015 4:55:14 PM PDT by rdcbn (Amen)
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To: Seruzawa
If it’s designed as an attack bomber then it should be the “A-12” or something

No the A-12 was Dick Chaney's stuff up.

37 posted on 08/18/2015 6:36:22 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy (Palins are better parents than Clintons.)
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To: rdcbn

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.


38 posted on 08/18/2015 6:42:07 PM PDT by Nowhere Man ("I wish we were back in the world of Andy Williams." - My mother, 1938-2013, RIP)
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To: Seruzawa
then it should be the “A-12”

Kelly Johnson has been there, done that and bought the t-shirt

39 posted on 08/18/2015 6:51:08 PM PDT by Despot of the Delta
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To: Nowhere Man

I don’t know, pilots are known to hit the radar coolant themselves from time to time.


40 posted on 08/18/2015 6:53:07 PM PDT by rdcbn (Amen)
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