XA-100 engine

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Actually, no it isn't. It is from analysis of decades of research.

Well, a lot of people around here have done that. And I can tell you, that a lot of people around here have spoken to or know active or recently active duty fighter pilots.

We can debate the relevance of maneuver combat in WW2, Korea, Vietnam and today in another thread. And the F-35 in yet another if you really feel like you need to.

For this one I really just want to learn about this engine, not so much to bicker about opinions.
 
it's about learning about the A-100, how close is it to the projected capabilities, how soon will it be available, etc.
At this stage the GE XA-100 is simply a demonstrator that GE hopes might be introduced into service by 2027. They have hopes of replicating the F110 vs F100 scenario of the 1980s onwards. That said, they also had hopes that the F136 would have done that but things got dashed years ago. There is no guarantee that will have any more luck this time.

That said, perhaps their best chance will be if the forthcoming JPO dissolution and associated transfer of F-35 support management back to USAF/USN will allow an opening for them to jump in - perhaps F-35As end up with P&W F135 whereas F-35B/Cs get XA-100. Maybe, but I wouldn't count on it.
 
I think the F-35 is trying to be too many things at once, they have clearly had some issues with it (no big secret) and isn't probably ideal for the air superiority role.
Having very briefly worked on the program and spending a lot of time with those who developed the X-35 and later worked on the F-35, this is a total myth. Getting everything "in sync" is and was the big issue. The aircraft was designed as a STRIKE aircraft, it's air superiority role is secondary.
I'm in particular concerned about Chinese aircraft like the J-20. Along the lines of (flying / operational) range, and striking range in particular.
I'm not - every so many years the Chinese pump out some new fighter to challenge the west and they wind up building just a handful. Right now the J-20 has some engine issues
Again the F-22 was designed for the air superiority role from the get go. IMO it's the premier air to air combat plane in the world but has a dismal FMC rate and turning into a maintenance nightmare from what I'm hearing from some of my active duty sources.
Where F-35 is potentially going to be prove to be exceptional is when the integration with un-manned / drone aircraft is working and fully functional. For all I know it already is and just not being publicized yet.
Agree
Agree

I see F-35 as having a fairly rough rollout, as we have seen with many other aircraft over the years, some of which ended up being great assets, often after a few tweaks.
Having? It did, but a lot of that was media induced and the half-witted comments made by Pierre Sprey didn't help
That's the point of having superior weapons
That's a stretch - The F-35A and B were wanted by the USAF and the USMC. The F-35C did have issues and some folks had reservations about the aircraft, but once they realized it's capabilities, much of that negativity has changed.
You can't come close comparing the development of a WW2 dive bomber to a modern strike aircraft!!!!
I think we had some teething issues with some ultimately far greater aircraft as well, like the F4 phantom. I'm hoping the F-35 will follow a similar trajectory.
We did - the F-14 and F-22 prototypes crashed. The F-16's first fight was not planned and it also landed wheels up. The First F-18s had cracks in their vertical stabilizers months after entering service. These are from memory, I could on.
 
This was done because of politician's ROE's, in an unrestricted conflict the goal is to kill you opponent BVR, if you don't do that you either are fighting under someone's rules, you had some equipment fail or you pissed away several million dollars of technology that could have saved your life!
 
Well, I think there were also some issues with the early generation AAMs, especially the sparrow
And there were. And if the air war in Vietnam was allowed to be fought unrestricted to begin with, the US just should have bombed all NVAF airfields, instead, very smart warriors came up with stuff like this that probably saved some lives because of some politician's ROEs

 
Now that is playing chess.
 

And that replacement has already flown and is being tested.
 
Which are?

Well, it sounds like you have some kind of inside knowledge. I certainly can't claim that, and can only go by what I read in the press. But I've read a lot of articles like this:




Issues frequently mentioned include difficulty in upgrading computer and software, difficulty in integrating new digital systems of the type the F-35 is known for, maintenance problems and low availability rates, and some other things like the bizarre O2 system issues that seemed to plague so many.

In software development circles, the code used in the F22 was notoriously complex and ...vast. IIRC a DoD official once bragged about how many lines of code it had, which is basically the opposite of what you want.

I've also spoken with quite a few US fighter pilots and gotten their opinions... most of them love the F22 but noted that there were problems with them and that they had a finite operational life for that reason. Of course I know the plural of anecdote isn't statistic.

Again, i didn't open this thread to bash F-35, F-22, or any other US aircraft. I was hoping to learn about the engine and any other improvements to and resolution of known problems and issues.
 
Be cautious of some of these internet articles, many times the people writing them have no real experience or attachment to the industry, additionally I believe that many media outlets (even those who cover military matters) hate the industry and aviation, but that's my opinion. After 42 years in the industry I learned to look where the messenger is coming from, their background and what they are being "fed."

With that said,

My poster girl...

 
Hahahahahaha, yeah that's always a factor. But I'm not relying on ladies like that for all my news sources personally. Like many here, I have friends in the service and in the industry in various places.
 
Called "Mission Capable Rates" or "Fully Mission Capable Rates." This was pulled from the Air Force Times. The F-35 is "allegedly" doing way better than the F-22." Now when looking at these rates, there are many factors that have to be looked at (scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance, modifications and depot level occurrences)


EDIT - no USAF asset is expected to have a100% MC rate



 
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It seems they solved the oxygen system problems with MQ-9A's.
 

Where is F-16, F-15 on that list?
 

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