| Tango01 | 19 Dec 2014 12:46 p.m. PST |
"Advanced derivatives of the tri-service Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could replace the Air Force's F-22 Raptor, Boeing F-15C Eagle and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, multiple sources told the National Interest. However, they added that the idea of replacing the high flying and fast Raptor with the slower and less agile F-35 was not well received by many within the Air Force. "No doubt that the F-35 will be doing air dominance missions in the future," one industry official said. "Especially with more internal air-to-air, and maybe a new engine." Full article here
link Amicalement
Armand |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 19 Dec 2014 2:04 p.m. PST |
The F-35 isn't seen as a replacement for the F-22 but could complement it, much like the F-16 Viper complements the Eagle in the 'hi-lo' mix. |
Tgerritsen  | 19 Dec 2014 2:17 p.m. PST |
The F35 was designed specifically to be like the F15/F16 hi-lo mix, with the F22 being the hi. This article reads like some LockMart guy going off on a tangent, not like an actual plan. |
| Mako11 | 19 Dec 2014 3:40 p.m. PST |
Ha! ROFLMAO. Good one!!! Just add the word "super" before any underpowered aircraft, with 1960s era maneuverability, and poor internal tank and payload capacity, and our adversaries will tremble in fear. Or, not. Hope they got as good a belly-laugh out of that statement as I did, since that's the only way we'll be able to disarm them with that plan. The "Super-Coot" rules! |
| mandt2 | 19 Dec 2014 7:34 p.m. PST |
I dunno. I would still rather have five eagles instead of one F-22. I just don't see the need for investing in a $160 USDm slug when the aircraft we already fly have been more than up to the task. Besides, I would be surprised if within the next ten years we have not started deploying air-superiority drones, making the job of enemy combat pilot very dangerous. |
| doug redshirt | 19 Dec 2014 8:00 p.m. PST |
Just think we may all live to see one plane using up the entire Air Force budget. |
| Deadone | 19 Dec 2014 8:47 p.m. PST |
F-35 isn't really appropriate for F-15E or F-22 replacement, even if souped up. |
| elsyrsyn | 19 Dec 2014 9:02 p.m. PST |
One plane to rule them all,
One plane to find them,
One plane to bring them all,
And in night and all weather bind them? 
I sort of think that our existing inventory of planes (although admittedly some of those airframes are getting rather long in the tooth) is still qualitatively superior to what our potential enemies can field, and also that (to steal a line) quantity has a quality all its own. I just don't know enough to know if we really NEED to stay that far ahead of the competition. I sometimes wonder if this sort of thing is not Star Wars on a slightly smaller scale – force the perceived enemy into bankruptcy by spending gazillions, thereby forcing them to spend similar gazillions, in the hope that they'll run out of gazillions before you do. Then I take a deep breath, and recall that it's not about military capability (ours or theirs) at all, or even about geopolitical or economic strategy, but rather about making billionaires and bringing jobs and dollars to congressional districts. Sad reality. Doug |
| Zargon | 20 Dec 2014 12:02 a.m. PST |
LOL, gazillions is this American fiat currency economics again, I noted foreign reserves of Russia and China (a lot of it in shiny gold) outnumbers USA at about 4 to 1, the Star Wars senario of Regan going to work as long as you can print money out of poof and the rest of us have to nail ours to what you guys perceive what yours is worth.
Boy! I wish my rear air was as valuable I'm feeling like a gazzillionaire arms contractor thinking about this
Cheers |
| Weasel | 20 Dec 2014 9:45 a.m. PST |
Some day, my great-grand-children will tell their children that soon, the F35 will fly it's first combat mission. |
| Lion in the Stars | 20 Dec 2014 11:38 a.m. PST |
Has the F22 flown a combat mission yet? |
| Ron W DuBray | 20 Dec 2014 12:30 p.m. PST |
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| capt jimmi | 20 Dec 2014 2:56 p.m. PST |
I'd suggest the F-35 is going to 'rule' the Australian military budget for some time into the future …I think we got sweet talked into the investment /development process and now have invested too much to let it go. More testament to clever US salesmen vs. not-so-clever Aussie procurement public servants .
Between this and a domestic submarine industry who " couldn't build a canoe" ..Aussie taxpayers will be frittering away tens of Billions of AUD$$$/year for toys that don't work, for decades to come. " Besides, I would be surprised if within the next ten years we have not started deploying air-superiority drones, making the job of enemy combat pilot very dangerous." |
| Mako11 | 21 Dec 2014 1:06 a.m. PST |
Don't feel bad. We're getting stuck with it too. |
thinks Mark's work is among the best available for all-around gaming and painting.
