Lucky13
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Aaah....cheers Joe!
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Its not so much taking off, its landing vertically is what counts. They will be operating on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship which can get in closer to the shore than what the super carriers can. Smaller decks require the aircraft to be able to land without arresting gear.
Hmmmm ..... only 4000 pounds internal capacity for weapons. About the same as the F117. That's progress for you!
Again you're wrong!!! It gives up some if its low RCS but is still harder to detect on radar than any other strike aircraft in it's class, and the "stealth' capability is not the only thing that made it expensive.Carries an impressive payload on external racks. But then its not a stealth aircraft anymore and this expensive contraption is doing the work that a far cheaper attack aircraft can do.
I could agree to a point, but if you're a real progressive thinker you would say that a helicopter or DRONE is cheaper to operate then an A-10 in this role!!!!The F35 is useless against a foe like ISIS or other low intensity groups. A close support aircraft like the A10 is needed. Not this contraption.
I bet in 1978 some geek in a polyester suit said the same thing about the F-15 and f-16!!! I bet they also said we didn't need BOTH fightersAs the years go by, air defenses are going to get deadlier and deadlier. And this over priced schitzo plane is going to get increasingly more vulnerable.
Proof? Do you have a crystal ball?By 2025, this jet will not be allowed to fly into dense air defenses because it will be a suicide mission. Hundreds of billions of dollars on an aircraft project that cant fulfill its role. And of course the drone jockies at Creech AFB will be saying "we could have done it for a fraction of the cost if you would have only funded us".
That will be done in time when both the UK and Italy fly it in tests against the Typhoon and other aircraft.Fighter? Ha. How does it do against foreign competitors, not our own dated airframes.
You know this how?I will admit that this is a useful fit for the Marines. Anything is better than the Harrier they have now.
It doesn't matter that the DOD is at fault for the immense cost over runs.
The F-117 had similar issues in it's development and in todays dollars cost almost as much as the f-35 with far less capabilities. Again, you know this by yahoo news and osprey books - I worked on the program. If the public knew how much was really spent on the B-2 and F-117 in R&D costs, the press would be lining up to suck the exhaust out of the F-35The fact is it's taken decades to build this and its final cost is extremely expensive. The F117 project was an outstanding example of designing and producing a great airplane at an affordable price. Obviously the Pentagon cash-whores refused to learn the lessons.
150 are built, 150 are on order excluding over seas assembly lines, so tell us in your infinite wisdom, what's you're definition of a "fraction?"In the end, only a fraction of these planes will be built. Already the follow on replacements are being worked on in the secret drone programs.
As the years go by, air defenses are going to get deadlier and deadlier. And this over priced schitzo plane is going to get increasingly more vulnerable. By 2025, this jet will not be allowed to fly into dense air defenses because it will be a suicide mission.
Drones have been used in combat for quite some time now...In a sense, Sys is right that the drone programs have already begun, because the Pentagon has a little thing called foresight. They know the drones will at least take another 10-15 years to be fully developed, not to mention combat ready.
Drones have been used in combat for quite some time now...
Then we'll have Robocop!
Drones have been used in combat for quite some time now...
I would like to know sys's experience in air combat that qualifies him in determining that the aircraft is useless.
Still waiting on his response to my other post as well.
I was referring to day-to-day combat drones which will replace the F-18/F-16 some time in the future, see the X-47. The stealth drones which the Pentagon will have the balls to use outside of secret ops.