Posted on 10/17/2015 3:43:48 PM PDT by PIF
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is one of the most experienced and capable air forces in the world, with roughly 400 American-made F-16 and F-15 fighters in its inventory. For the most part, this force resembles a smaller version of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) “legacy” fighter fleet – fourth generation aircraft originally developed during the 1970s. Like the USAF, however, many of these aircraft are three decades old and nearing the end of their service life.
snip
If the F-35 cannot hold its own against fourth-generation fighters, which are increasingly equipped with infrared sensors that can detect stealth aircraft, it will be limited to ground-attack missions and require escorts to carry-out operations in contested airspace. The former head of the USAF’s Air Combat Command admitted last year that the F-35 was not built as an air-superiority fighter and needs the USAF’s existing stealth fighter, the F-22, to protect against enemy aircraft.
This shortfall represents a major problem for Israel, which cannot acquire the F-22. Congress banned its export and production ended in 2011. Israel will therefore have to continue to rely on its existing fourth-generation fighters to retain competitive air-to-air capability – which undermines a core reason Israel invested in the F-35.
(Excerpt) Read more at realcleardefense.com ...
They need more A-10 warthogs.
I will not be surprised to see the F-22 line started back up now that the F-35 error has become evident. You'd think the mistake of trying to make a one-size-fits-all fighter would not be repeated so easily.
Israel is the world’s largest manufacturer of drone aircraft. They have fully autonomous models that can fly and fight themselves. (Current Israeli law does not allow fully autonomous use.)
The next Middle East war will be entirely different than previous wars.
A-10s are ground support. Next war ME will see air superiority fighters dominate. A-10 vs MiG31 = target practice ...
The first is the effectiveness of IRST. For the Russian and Chinese to take advantage of their long range weapons they are going to need a radar target to shoot at.
The second is that the Israelis are developing some of the best missiles and self protective EW suites in the world.
The third is that it won't be too long before somebody develops a directed energy weapon, and then all bets are off.
IIRC Barry had the tooling destroyed.
[The next Middle East war will be entirely different than previous wars.]
The Lord God Almighty will fight for Israel.
Israel can easily build their own jets, they copy some of our systems already. They should buy a squadron of the latest Sukhois just to send us a message.
The Middle East countries, unlike the Soviet Union and the United States, are relatively small. Anywhere from a half dozen to a dozen bombs will destroy any of them. We have a situation where he who fires first wins. Although Israel maintains sub launched missiles and probably has hardened silos that could make a second strike, what will it matter if the country they were built to defend has been destroyed? Mutually assured destruction worked between the Soviets and the US because neither culture worshiped death. But Islam is entirely about death. The former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, started and ended each speech with a prayer for the return of the Mahdi. That is essentially praying for Armageddon.
Israel can easily build their own jets....
I will not be surprised to see the F-22 line started back up now that the F-35 error has become evident.
There are times I think that the Liberals devised the F-35 in order for us to lose our air supremacy. It would not shock me.
Maybe the Israelis should buy some French or Swedish 4th generation fighters.
...let everyone think that. What a great plan.
Then the thugs won’t know what hit ‘em.
Over the decades I have learned that the hype starts 1 or 2 decades early on expensive weapons programs and it seems momentum just keeps growing and growing until every state gets a piece and then, voila!.....the program, proven or not, is unstoppable with the USAF seemingly being the worst practitioner of this political scheme.
135 million for one freakin plane!??? Come on!!! If it were unanimous among experts that the plane was a show stopper and thus war winner that would be one thing but, alas, it’s far from that!
Unlike some, I admit I don’t know what I’m talking about but it seems to me that a typical Israeli Fighter Pilot could sweep the sky’s of a typical jihadi fighter pilot flying a Single engine Cessna armed with a 1911 .45 caliber pistol!
Israel will gain one advantage from Syrian fighting.
As a neighbor, they can eavesdrop electronically and pick up Russian modes of communication on the ground and in the air.
That could come in real handy in the next operation.
1. The F-35 is not designed for dog-fights. It is designed as a stealth attack platform. No planes are going to get within 30 miles of it without being engaged.
2. Just WHO is going to take on the IAF? Syria with crusty old MIGs? Iran with F4s? Iraq has like 3 F-16s? Turkey? Saudi Arabia? Russia and Israeli are now friends thanks to our inept foreign policy.
“A-10 vs MiG31 = target practice ...”
Skyraider shoots down NVAF MiG-17:
http://vnafmamn.com/Skyraider_vs_MIG17.html
Stranger things...
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