"How Will The F-35 Do In Combat?" Topic

"Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 has deployed from the Gulf of Aden to Alaska and is coveted by would-be buyers led by the United Arab Emirates. But the simulated combat testing needed to tell how well it would fare against Russian, Chinese or Iranian air defenses may be delayed yet again.

The intensive combat simulation testing of the fighter jet, which was supposed to occur in 2017 and most recently was set for this December, is almost certain to slip into next year because of difficulties finishing technical preparations, according to the Pentagon's weapons buyer and testing office.

Resolution of "defects" in the simulation set-up "will likely drive" the tests into next year, Jessica Maxwell, a spokeswoman for Ellen Lord, the Defense Department's undersecretary for acquisition, said in an email. It's the latest twist in a 19-year-long tale of setbacks spawned by the decision to build the Pentagon's most expensive weapons program ever even as it's still being developed…"

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Amicalement
Armand

Who knows? Hopefully we will never know. But human nature being what it is…

I suspect that's the rub causing the delay, since they need to craft the scenario(s) just right so that the F-35 doesn't suffer a less than optimal result, causing the whole program to be questioned more than it is already.

Anyone know if they ever finished writing/fixing the computer code so the guns are linked in to the HUD and will work properly to hit maneuvering enemy aircraft?

I know their guns can be fired, but being able to hit what you're shooting at in high-G combat would be nice too.

5 – 6 years ago or so, I thought the plan for that being completed was around 2024. Of course, that could have improved, and/or more likely slipped from the previous target date.

I'm thinking it should do well as there are few aircraft at this time that can best it, AFAIK. And as always it will come down to pilot training, experience, etc. At this time it is a CAP aircraft that may end up being used more for CAS for the most part.

The F-35 will do fine.

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For decades, every time the US introduces a new tank or aircraft there's a huge amount of hand-wringing about it not being good enough, not being as good as the old stuff, not being as good as the presumptive enemy's stuff. It always happens. Some of it is demonstrably put out there by operatives for other countries, who are selling competing products. A lot of the noise also comes from journalists, who know people won't click on a "look at the cool F-35" article, but they *will* click on a "our newest multi-billion dollar weapon is junk!" link. There's probably a 100-to-1 ration in clicks.

Every once in a while a new vehicle is junk, but as often as not it's just a lot of ignorance.

If the F-35 ever gets into a major conflict, I have the feeling there won't be enough available…

I question the need for the F-35. Upgrading the designs already existing and keeping them up to strength and maintained might have been a better option.

There is a tendency to strive for 'zero casualties' because of the adverse PR when a pilot is killed or worse captured and frankly this is unattainable.

That said, I expect the F-35 will work [eventually] and will perform well in combat should that come to pass. It's true that every step forward in technology comes with teething troubles and the F-35 being quite a leap will have them in spades.

On a side note the answer to 'Which US state builds the F-35?' is 'All 50 of them.' Which means no politician dare argue against the project.

Skarper, without the F-35 the Chinese and Russians get far closer to western capabilities with their various Flanker derivatives, J-10 etc.

There is not enough F-22s to do much with them!

Also most of the US and a lot of NATO airforce combat jets are 30-40 years old – F-15C/D (USAF only), F16A/B/C/D, F/A-18A/B/C/D/E/F, Tornado. You still have F-4 Phantoms in service in Turkey, Greece and South Korea (and a few Soviet junk heaps as well).

Thus they need replacing.

But why replace with a modernised F-15/16/18 when they offer less and less advantage over their Chinese/Russian counterparts?

Because you can have more of them – more marginally superior aircraft is probably better than too few vastly superior aircraft.

I doubt the F-35 is enough better to justify its immense cost. Only time will tell.

Russian and especially Chinese capabilities are exaggerated to justify the huge US spending on defense. Russia has been cutting back on arms and while China forges ahead they have a very long way to go and much of their homemade stuff does not work as well as claimed/feared.

The world has to keep an eye on China and counter the various threats it can mount, but over reacting and overspending is dangerous too.

All that being said, I'm sure the F-35s will work and provide more capability. Maybe this could have been done a different way for less money, but it can't be undone now.