F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

[BON PLAN]

F-35 Faces Parts Problems After Turks Expulsion - Breaking Defense

WASHINGTON: It’s a familiar tale, if one told with fewer operational problems. The Government Accountability Office today details a $1.5 billion increase for 2019 in the F-35’s Block 4 costs — now up to $12.1 billion — and serious parts problems caused by the expulsion of Turkey from the Joint...

breakingdefense.com

 

[Bajirao]

Les F-35B et F-35C seront incapables de conduire des interceptions supersoniques

Après avoir enquêté plusieurs mois sur cette question, Defense News a finalement obtenu la confirmation que les problèmes structurels rencontrés par le F-35

www.meta-defense.fr

They say that B and C variant can only fly to mach1.3 forty seconds, and mach 1.2 the double (80 sec)
They say the full reheat can't be used more than 1 minute.
They say that beyond 20° AoA the plane is unstable.

They say the limitations are probably the same for A variant, but as the plane is on ashore airfield, it is easier and faster to have the information about the dammage in case of, so USAF accept to go further these limitations.

All of that 14 years after first preserial flight ! ie the flight quality of the bird will never be improved. Too late. The flight domain is the first thing opend in a plane developpment shedule. F35 will remain a fat and lazy jet.
And when the stealth will vanished (thanks to late radar improvements, made by russia, china, even iran) what will remain? a fat and lazy jet.

I am not a fan of f-35(flying frog) but, defeating stealth tech. is not going to be easy for either russia or, china specialy the huge number advantage f-35 will have and don't mention iran,all of their missiles comes from north korea which they only upgrades from time to time,only in drone tech. they have some real expertise..so, iran is not in any game for defeating f-35...now,many will argue with my opinion by saying that they captured a stealth uav of u.s. but i can confirm that iran did it with russian tech. not their own...

 

[BON PLAN]

I am not a fan of f-35(flying frog) but, defeating stealth tech. is not going to be easy for either russia or, china specialy the huge number advantage f-35 will have and don't mention iran,all of their missiles comes from north korea which they only upgrades from time to time,only in drone tech. they have some real expertise..so, iran is not in any game for defeating f-35...now,many will argue with my opinion by saying that they captured a stealth uav of u.s. but i can confirm that iran did it with russian tech. not their own...

New radars are arriving :
Multistatic ones,
Low bands ones,
Non X band ones on fighters.

An object can't be stealth on a wide radar band, and speacially on lower bands.

It's not without reasons than a israeli air general said some years ago that Stealth quality will vanished in 10 to 15 years...

Add to that IR trace (a F35 or F22 is not IR stealth ! )

 

[BON PLAN]

F35 block 4 late !!! (and cost increase)

Not a surprise. Is there something on time with that junk ?

Le standard Block 4 du F-35 retardé !

Le calendrier du programme de modernisation des F-35 au nouveau standard Block 4 est retardé de deux ans. La mise en service ne sera pas effective...

psk.blog.24heures.ch

"Cost increase:

The F-35 Joint Program Office initially estimated the cost of developing the 66 new Block 4 capabilities at $ 10.6 billion. The two-year extension to deliver the new standard increases the cost of development to $ 12.1 billion, with an additional $ 3.4 billion planned to acquire and insert capabilities in future F-35s.

Software issues:

The delays caused by Block 4 started in 2019. Lockheed-Martin planned to supply the first eight capacities of the new standard last year, but only one, the Automatic Collision Avoidance System (GCAS), entered into force. service.

As the capabilities of Block 4 entered testing, operational engineers from the Department of Defense noticed other problems. Some of the new capabilities have caused problems with the existing functions of the F-35 that were previously working.

It seems Lockheed-Martin did not adequately test the software before delivering it to the test fleet, the GAO said. (A US new habit? see Boeing 737 MAX...)

In addition, the aircraft in service, a total of 500 aircraft, do not meet the program's reliability and maintainability objectives. Although the contractor is modifying the manufacturing processes to resolve problems and improve efficiency, there is still much to be done.

Unless the program office assesses the risks of not adhering to these advanced practices, military services and international partners may not receive the quality aircraft they have purchased. In addition, this fact complicates the task of Lockheed-Martin which offers the F-35A Block 4 for export in competitions for delivery from 2025 to Canada, Finland and Switzerland. "

 

[asianobserve]

New radars are arriving :
Multistatic ones,
Low bands ones,
Non X band ones on fighters.

An object can't be stealth on a wide radar band, and speacially on lower bands.

It's not without reasons than a israeli air general said some years ago that Stealth quality will vanished in 10 to 15 years...

Add to that IR trace (a F35 or F22 is not IR stealth ! )

Low frequency radars cannot be used to target maneuvering fighters. You still need X-bsnd radar to do that, which is what shaping is optimized for. So, an AD system trying to snare an F-22 or F-35 will still need the F-35 or F-22 to be too close to the enemy's X-band radar for the AD system to get a firing solution.

And here's the reason why these things you mentioned will not be effective against F-22s and F-35s:

1) Both F-22 and F-35 have very sophisticated AESA radars that can pick-up an enemy's radar signature. So if an S-400 has to defend against either F-22 or F-35 then it has to turn on its low frequency radar to scan the horizon and its X-band or other radars. Without radars ADs are blind. But once AD radars are turned on F-22s and F-35s and even USAF satellites can immediately pick up those radsr signatures and avoid these sreas or supress them either electronicslly or via ARM, stealthy cruise missiles or glide bombs;

2. F-22 and especially the newer F-35 stealth coatings are designed to provide protection agsinst low and high frequency band radars. Just read on Fiber Mat technology;

3. USAF and allies already have mature MALD decoys that can spoof and jam enemy airborne and land based radars;

In other words, in aerial combat involving 5th gen fighters the 5th gen fighters will always dictate the terms of the battle. They will always see you first. It's really an unfair fight. So to counter 5th gen you need to have 5th gen fighter.

 

[BON PLAN]

Low frequency radars cannot be used to target maneuvering fighters. You still need X-bsnd radar to do that, which is what shaping is optimized for. So, an AD system trying to snare an F-22 or F-35 will still need the F-35 or F-22 to be too close to the enemy's X-band radar for the AD system to get a firing solution.

And here's the reason why these things you mentioned will not be effective against F-22s and F-35s:

1) Both F-22 and F-35 have very sophisticated AESA radars that can pick-up an enemy's radar signature. So if an S-400 has to defend against either F-22 or F-35 then it has to turn on its low frequency radar to scan the horizon and its X-band or other radars. Without radars ADs are blind. But once AD radars are turned on F-22s and F-35s and even USAF satellites can immediately pick up those radsr signatures and avoid these sreas or supress them either electronicslly or via ARM, stealthy cruise missiles or glide bombs;

2. F-22 and especially the newer F-35 stealth coatings are designed to provide protection agsinst low and high frequency band radars. Just read on Fiber Mat technology;

3. USAF and allies already have mature MALD decoys that can spoof and jam enemy airborne and land based radars;
View attachment 47747

In other words, in aerial combat involving 5th gen fighters the 5th gen fighters will always dictate the terms of the battle. They will always see you first. It's really an unfair fight. So to counter 5th gen you need to have 5th gen fighter.

Lower band radars used to guide missiles or fighters so close (some dozen kilometers) that their on board X band or Ku band radars can catch the stealth opponent. You can also replace the on board radar by a IR seeker.

And another better answer is the multistatic radar.

 

[asianobserve]

Lower band radars used to guide missiles or fighters so close (some dozen kilometers) that their on board X band or Ku band radars can catch the stealth opponent. You can also replace the on board radar by a IR seeker.

And another better answer is the multistatic radar.

Once AD or enemy fighter turns on its radar its identigied for avoidance or suppression. So it'll have a hard time surviving a full on 5th gen onslaught with MALD spofing.

IR in missiles is short range. Unless a dual MW radar & IR seeker AAM is developed, IR will have no use in BVR. But even with such kind of dual seeker the plane firing it will be detected first by F-22 or F-35, especially F-35 which can use either active/passive AESA radar or DAS or EOTS for long range targeting.

And mutistatic radar is so weak. It's even weaker than low frequency band radsrs. S3c9 d, Lockheed already has a multistatic radar in production and sold off to US military since late 1990s. So Lockheed has incorporated multistatic radar detection into F-35 features and tactics.

AsI said, in aeroal combat 5th gen fighters has the initiative amd eill dictate how the combat will transpire. The best way to defeat F-22 snd F-35 is when they're still on the ground like how allies defeated Me-226 in WW2.

 

[BON PLAN]

Once AD or enemy fighter turns on its radar its identigied for avoidance or suppression. So it'll have a hard time surviving a full on 5th gen onslaught with MALD spofing.

IR in missiles is short range. Unless a dual MW radar & IR seeker AAM is developed, IR will have no use in BVR. But even with such kind of dual seeker the plane firing it will be detected first by F-22 or F-35, especially F-35 which can use either active/passive AESA radar or DAS or EOTS for long range targeting.

And mutistatic radar is so weak. It's even weaker than low frequency band radsrs. S3c9 d, Lockheed already has a multistatic radar in production and sold off to US military since late 1990s. So Lockheed has incorporated multistatic radar detection into F-35 features and tactics.

AsI said, in aeroal combat 5th gen fighters has the initiative amd eill dictate how the combat will transpire. The best way to defeat F-22 snd F-35 is when they're still on the ground like how allies defeated Me-226 in WW2.

AD radar are often on. And they don't need to change of wave form or freq. or... once they track a fighter.
The F117 shooted down was destroyed by a very classical SAM missile guided by a lower band similary classical radar.

short range IR missile : MICA IR is not a small range one. As some russian missiles. So an answer exists.

A fighter can use it's on board IR system to track the opponent. A totally passive attack can be conducted from a legacy fighter.

Multistatic so weak.... I think it's the future. so many emitters that you can't destroyed all in a single wave attack.

 

[BON PLAN]

The best way to defeat F-22 snd F-35 is when they're still on the ground like how allies defeated Me-226 in WW2.

Specially the F35, with it's low disponibility.

 

[BON PLAN]

Once AD or enemy fighter turns on its radar its identigied for avoidance or suppression. So it'll have a hard time surviving a full on 5th gen onslaught with MALD spofing.

IR in missiles is short range. Unless a dual MW radar & IR seeker AAM is developed, IR will have no use in BVR. But even with such kind of dual seeker the plane firing it will be detected first by F-22 or F-35, especially F-35 which can use either active/passive AESA radar or DAS or EOTS for long range targeting.

And mutistatic radar is so weak. It's even weaker than low frequency band radsrs. S3c9 d, Lockheed already has a multistatic radar in production and sold off to US military since late 1990s. So Lockheed has incorporated multistatic radar detection into F-35 features and tactics.

AsI said, in aeroal combat 5th gen fighters has the initiative amd eill dictate how the combat will transpire. The best way to defeat F-22 snd F-35 is when they're still on the ground like how allies defeated Me-226 in WW2.

See for exemple the anti tank BILL missile : the warhead is made to detonate to the weakest point of the tanks : the roof.

It's not without reasons than even a General of a customer of F35, israel, explained some years ago that Stealth will vanishe in 10 to 15 years. Because the radars will evolve, and because the missiles will evolve (we can imagine a missile forming a trajectory so as to attack a stealth airplane by the top, where it is absolutely not stealth. Il may need a heavier missile, but it's a solution...)

 

[asianobserve]

AD radar are often on. And they don't need to change of wave form or freq. or... once they track a fighter.
The F117 shooted down was destroyed by a very classical SAM missile guided by a lower band similary classical radar.

short range IR missile : MICA IR is not a small range one. As some russian missiles. So an answer exists.

A fighter can use it's on board IR system to track the opponent. A totally passive attack can be conducted from a legacy fighter.

Multistatic so weak.... I think it's the future. so many emitters that you can't destroyed all in a single wave attack.

Better read the history of the F-117 shootdown. It happened because: 1) USAF F-117 became complacent and repeated the same flight path and schedule; 2) Serbians had spies outside or in Aviano Air Base that tipped off Serbian forces of the departure of the F-117. So it was only a matter of timing which the Serbian AD forces was already well aware due to F-117s predictable flight path. In fact the F-117 was locked only when it was 13 miles away from SA-3, so at that range even F-22 and F-35 can be targeted. So the F-117 was toast, laurel for the Serbians and a very important lesson for the Americans.

 

[Assassin 2.0]

Better read the history of the F-117 shootdown. It happened because: 1) USAF F-117 became complacent and repeated the same flight path and schedule; 2) Serbians had spies outside or in Aviano Air Base that tipped off Serbian forces of the departure of the F-117. So it was only a matter of timing which the Serbian AD forces was already well aware due to F-117s predictable flight path. In fact the F-117 was locked only when it was 13 miles away from SA-3, so at that range even F-22 and F-35 can be targeted. So the F-117 was toast, laurel for the Serbians and a very important lesson for the Americans.

Can you shed some light on how a country like iran managed to detect and capture RQ-170 drone?

 

[asianobserve]

Multistatic so weak.... I think it's the future. so many emitters that you can't destroyed all in a single wave attack.

Multistatic radar is one of the oldest radar used which after WW2 came out of favor in favor of current radars. But Lockheed Martin since 1998 has been producing and selling to US military and Border Control Silent Sentry multiststic radar. Now LM is on 3rd generation of this radar known as Silent Sentry 3. So you think LM will not factor in multistatic radar tech into F-35 design and tactics?

 

[asianobserve]

Can you shed some light on how a country like iran managed to detect and capture RQ-170 drone?

RQ-170 was not locked on by Iranian radar or shot down by SAM. It's radio transmission was said to have been jammed causing its navigation to fail or be controlled. It was more of jamming or hacking, a valuable lessons for the Americans.

 

[asianobserve]

BTW, according to Serbian Commander Dani his team was only able to lock onto the F-117 at 13 miles distance after its bomb bay doors opened amplifying its radar signature.

 

[Assassin 2.0]

RQ-170 was not locked on by Iranian radar or shot down by SAM. It's radio transmission was said to have been jammed causing its navigation to fail or be controlled. It was more of jamming or hacking, a valuable lessons for the Americans.

If they were not able to detect it or know about it's existence on Iranian airspace then how they can launch a jamming attack?
If they were blind about it's existence then how offensive steps can be taken?

 

[asianobserve]

If they were not able to detect it or know about it's existence on Iranian airspace then how they can launch a jamming attack?
If they were blind about it's existence then how offensive steps can be taken?

It's radio transmissions could have been the give-away since you need remote operator to operate UAVs. That's why F-35 has MADL communication system that allows it to securely communicate to other F-35. Now the USAF wants to expand MADL use to all its stealth planes so that they can se urely communicate with each other in combat zones.

 

[BON PLAN]

Better read the history of the F-117 shootdown. It happened because: 1) USAF F-117 became complacent and repeated the same flight path and schedule; 2) Serbians had spies outside or in Aviano Air Base that tipped off Serbian forces of the departure of the F-117. So it was only a matter of timing which the Serbian AD forces was already well aware due to F-117s predictable flight path. In fact the F-117 was locked only when it was 13 miles away from SA-3, so at that range even F-22 and F-35 can be targeted. So the F-117 was toast, laurel for the Serbians and a very important lesson for the Americans.

It's not the first time americans were so confident in their technology....
No canon on fighter before Vietnam war (the US missiles were to be so efficient ! )
F117
AIM9X unable to shoot a old russian horse.

=> Technology is not all.

 

[BON PLAN]

Multistatic radar is one of the oldest radar used which after WW2 came out of favor in favor of current radars. But Lockheed Martin since 1998 has been producing and selling to US military and Border Control Silent Sentry multiststic radar. Now LM is on 3rd generation of this radar known as Silent Sentry 3. So you think LM will not factor in multistatic radar tech into F-35 design and tactics?

You can't be stealth against all wave lenght, specially for a 'quite small' fighter (B2 is another case).
F22 and F35 are mainly stealth against C, X and Ku band. Not for lower bands, LM or not LM.

 

[BON PLAN]

a valuable lessons for the Americans.

another one, with F117.

They need a lot of lessons these americans....