F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

[BON PLAN]

How many times do I have to say this but in the real World dogfight is now passe? The only reason major NATO air forces still do dissimilar training is to have an insurance policy just in case by sheer unluckiness their pilots end up in the sights of an enemy fighter. But in WVR it's not agility that will determine the winner but the ability to lock and fire LOAL HOBS IR missile. After all it's almost impossible for human pilots to outmaneuver these modern missiles.

Once again I don't agree (to the beginning).
To avoid a friendly fire, you need a positive identification. ie maybe not fully dog fight, but at least at a medium distance (40km max) where you can optically identify the target.
See the russian IL20 destroyed by an ally SAM ! => IFF or other system failed.
During first irak war, a lot of coalition planes were shooted down by allies fire.

And in case of a high intensity war (China versus USA), you can add a high intensity electronic counter measures that will reduced the effectivity of radars, EM seekers, IFF, ... what will remain : pilot eyes with or without IRST.

YES, IR missile and IR & optical track system are key.

 

[BON PLAN]

Lockheed's F-35 Wins Pentagon Approval for Full Combat Testing

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ins-pentagon-approval-for-full-combat-testing

Nice !!!

But :

• Tests to begin despite more than 900 ‘unresolved deficiencies
• Results are crucial for approval of full production in 2019

"Despite some improvements, the combat testing will start with a “large amount of unresolved” software and hardware deficiencies “that will likely have a cumulative effect on F-35 mission capability,” during the exercises, Behler said."

 

[Immanuel]

Who said it's a victory? no, it's a mistake.

You're the one who said, Rafale won against the SH, clearly it didn't.

 

[Immanuel]

Nice !!!

But :

• Tests to begin despite more than 900 ‘unresolved deficiencies
• Results are crucial for approval of full production in 2019

"Despite some improvements, the combat testing will start with a “large amount of unresolved” software and hardware deficiencies “that will likely have a cumulative effect on F-35 mission capability,” during the exercises, Behler said."

The key thing is 13 are cate'gory 1, these have to be fixed most importantly, the rest can be patched in over the next few years. Heck currently we are on a 2000MD project and in a space of 2-3 weeks have identified over 300 defects, one can easily expect such issues on perhaps the most lines of code ever written on any project when speaking of the F-35

Chill

 

[bhramos]

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[bhramos]

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[BON PLAN]

You're the one who said, Rafale won against the SH, clearly it didn't.

It was a dog fight training. Rafale pilot came too close : He made a mistake.

No victory here. Just a mistake.

Some years ago a Jaguar pilot, friend of mine, spoke me about something he personnaly seen in a Turkish base during the southern watch UN mission after the 1st Irak war :
During a night, a non identified helo was detected by an awacs over the mountain in the forbiden zone. It was the USA tour this night, so they sent 2 x F15C. The pilot (one was a colonel) was afraid to descend in the valley to identify positively the helo. They decided to fire it with missile. Some hours after a UN helo in a secret mission was declared missing.... 12 died.
No victory, just a mistake.

 

[BON PLAN]

The key thing is 13 are cate'gory 1, these have to be fixed most importantly, the rest can be patched in over the next few years. Heck currently we are on a 2000MD project and in a space of 2-3 weeks have identified over 300 defects, one can easily expect such issues on perhaps the most lines of code ever written on any project when speaking of the F-35

Chill

After more than 12 years of developpment ? Not serious.
Hot.

 

[BON PLAN]

All F35 grounded.

The US military has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets in the wake of a crash in South Carolina last month.
Inspections are to be carried out on faulty fuel tubes.
An official report questioned earlier this year whether the F-35 was ready for combat after dozens of faults were found.
The F-35 is the largest and most expensive weapons programme of its type in the world.
The programme is expected to last several decades and global sales are projected to be 3,000. The US government's accountability office estimates all costs associated with the project will amount to one trillion dollars.
In a statement, the F-35 Joint Program Office said the US and its international partners had suspended flight operations while a fleet-wide inspection of fuel tubes was conducted.
"If suspect fuel tubes are installed, the part will be removed and replaced. If known good fuel tubes are already installed, then those aircraft will be returned to flight status.
"Inspections are expected to be completed within the next 24 to 48 hours."
"applied not only to B model, but also A and C"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45827795

 

[BON PLAN]

All US F-35s grounded worldwide

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/.../dod-announces-global-grounding-of-all-f-35s/

 

[asianobserve]

More than 80% of F-35s cleared to return to flight

https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...to-flight-operations-after-fuel-tube-problem/

 

[BON PLAN]

More than 80% of F-35s cleared to return to flight

https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...to-flight-operations-after-fuel-tube-problem/

and what about the 20% ?

 

[asianobserve]

and what about the 20% ?

Most likely the less than 20% F-35 not returned to service all have defective fuel hoses. Those hoses must be being replaced and those jets will no doubt soon join the rest.

 

[bhramos]

...........................................................................

 

[Immanuel]

After more than 12 years of developpment ? Not serious.
Hot.

Well, they did rush to produce in large scale while testing that was a bad and expensive decision and now they are paying for it. These fixes are not cheap. Hopefully they learned their lesson.

 

[BON PLAN]

Well, they did rush to produce in large scale while testing that was a bad and expensive decision and now they are paying for it. These fixes are not cheap. Hopefully they learned their lesson.

The problem is that there are so many problems and so less time that when they fix a problem, another one emerge.
The real FOC will be a very long road.... (real in an operationnal sens. Politically the FOC will have to be released in the very few next months)

 

[asianobserve]

Belgium chooses Lockheed's F-35 over Eurofighter: Belga

https://www.google.com.ph/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1MW1J7

 

[asianobserve]

F-35 = 8
Eurofighter =0
Rafale = 0

Next battle ground: Singapore.

 

[BON PLAN]

F-35 = 8
Eurofighter =0
Rafale = 0

Next battle ground: Singapore.

No.
USA = 8
Europe = 0. It's mainly a European failure. It's a pity.... It's sad.

And in some country, as for Rafale and EF, there was no competition (ex : Egypt for Rafale, Koweit for EF, Israel for F35). So is your 8 real ?

 

[BON PLAN]

Belgium chooses Lockheed's F-35 over Eurofighter: Belga

https://www.google.com.ph/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1MW1J7

It will be very intesresting.

In some years there will be a lot of battle in belgium (and NL) about the REAL costs of these planes. I'm sure the other part of the army will have to make cuts to finance the F35.

BUT IT's A EUROPEAN DEFEAT. A CRUEL ONE. Now how to stick to Poland to purchase US weapons....

A sad day.