F-35 Scores Impressive 15:1 Kill Ratio at Red Flag War Games

[Skroe]

I was expecting more memery from this thread. I guess the usual suspects are not up yet.

This is fucking glorious and so goddamn on point. The link to war is boring square is so telling. David axe won t be happy unless the us is flying just crop dusters with machine guns.

- - - Updated - - -

Also this should not be a surprise for anyone who has Ben following the f-35 or any other aircraft development. The example I've been giving recently is that of an f-22 and a eurofighter. It may be surprising for people to learn that one of the ideas for restarting f-22 production would involve nixing the thrust vectoring engines for fixed engines. For what the f-22's strengths and tactics are, thrust vectoring does not contribute when balanced against complexity and cost. Hey are a relic inclusion from an earlier phase in the historic ATF competition, which are some of the reasons the f-35A and C doesn't include it. The f-22 is unmatched in many regimes of air combat but in close, it is at an energy disadvantage compared to the eurofighter.

Put anyway, as with every aircraft,the tactics that develop maximize the airframes strengths and minimize its weaknesses. The f-35 will leverage its sensor fusion (superior to the f-22 and anything else in the air) and stealth to use long range weaponry to pick off outside enemy detection range, while the faster, more agile f-22 sweeps forward.

An f-35 being used like an f-35 will be successful. And f-35 being used like an f-15 won't be. It's that simple.

- - - Updated - - -

Tell me if I'm wrong but the F-35 is essentially an AWACS that can fly deep into enemy territory, there it can direct older aircraft in combat like an AWACS would but the F-35 is a lot less vulnerable. Also the F-35 can suppress enemy radar and anti-air, maybe it will use drones to do the suppression one day?

So the F-35 is a force multiplier taking older aircraft like the F-16 and making them useful again? You don't need to replace all of your air force with F-35s to benefit from them?

The f-35 can do lots of things. It's most powerful capability is its sensor fusion and airborne computational ability. You'll note that there is no two seater f-35 even though it will be replacing some aircraft that have two seater variants. The software onboard automates much of what e purpose of that second seat would be while also simplifying the pilots workflow. The f-35 can also do electronic attack. Lastly it is capable of being an "airborne router" as evidenced by tests last year where and f-35 chose a target, commanded a destroyer to fire a sm-6, and partially guided that missile. One of the usaf and usn's ambitions is to use the stealthy f-35 as a spotter for larger, non-stealthy aircraft that carrying a large numbers of weapons.

[Deleted]

This a puff piece for a garbage plane that will never be used because nobody wants to play dogfight in the sky since topgun.

[chazus]

I don't buy it.

As of just 6 months ago, these planes weren't even flight worthy, and estimates for fixing some of the major issues were a year off. This looks more like 'It's not broken, we swear!'

I keep hoping we'll cut our losses and stick with the few we have and move back to a non-universal plane role system.

[Tierbook]

The unit cost is below $100 million now isn't it? Still expensive as fuck but it's getting cheaper as they buy more.

[Yunru]

For the money they spend on this plane, it would be better to make them work in space.

[Elim Garak]

The F-35's main advantage isn't it's stealth. It's the system's ability to share information with separate platforms and target/fire at things/do other things based off information other platforms are receiving. Basically, one pilot sees what all the other pilots, ships, ground radar/etc see, all at once, and can act on it in meaningful ways.

So it's a very expensive Wi-fi router?

[Tierbook]

So it's a very expensive Wi-fi router?

In the same way that a Car is a very expensive RC car.

[chazus]

The unit cost is below $100 million now isn't it? Still expensive as fuck but it's getting cheaper as they buy more.

Heh. "cheaper"

The cheapest one got lowered to 94mil, without the engine. Down from ~102. While I can't find current LRIP 9 costs at the moment, They've hung around the 30mil each mark, though LRIP 7 cut prices drastically to ~18m, and LRIP 8 was ~16m, so ~12m at the low ball wouldn't be out of the ballpark. We're still sitting at 106m for the cheapest plane.

They're not getting cheaper as they buy more, they're panicking that if they don't sell them at nearly a loss, the contract will get cut entirely.

Better to build and sell 500 and lose 5bn, than to build 500 and sell 100 and lose 20bn.

Lockheed's financials show them bleeding cash, and their strategy is to double down and hope the contract doesn't fall through.

[Elim Garak]

In the same way that a Car is a very expensive RC car.

I dunno some RC cars are way more expensive than some real cars.

[Blobfish]

US Air Force moving some F-22 Raptors to my City in Aussie soon

Now they are a cool jet.

Cannot wait to see them flying in Darwin skies

As China fortifies its little islands, PACOM moves F-22s to Darwin

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2016...-f-22s-darwin/

Aussie spent megabucks buying some F-35s,
But I would prefer that we buy F-22s.

However, from what I know, the US will not sell F-22 Technology. All top secret stuff

[Ulmita]

Looks like all that waste finally paid off. @Ulmita������

Yeah as if red flag means anything. HAF owned USAF 18-3 in one of those.

Ohh and dude, lets not start this conversation again. Its a useless airplane in the sense that it will never be used against an opponent that can fight back.
You built a 2312312321 trillion USD plane to make some people rich and bomb people on camels, horses with ak-47s, congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Baneth]

Yeah as if red flag means anything. HAF owned USAF 18-3 in one of those.

Ohh and dude, lets not start this conversation again. Its a useless airplane in the sense that it will never be used against an opponent that can fight back.
You built a 2312312321 trillion USD plane to make some people rich and bomb people on camels, horses with ak-47s, congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Surely you have more to say than just this? Why don't you go into detail about the faults of the f-35? Be thorough, please.

[Ulmita]

Surely you have more to say than just this? Why don't you go into detail about the faults of the f-35? Be thorough, please.

Kell's post on that covers me

[Balir]

Only problem is - those 15 shot down, probably only equal the development/running cost of one F-35.....

[Baneth]

Kell's post on that covers me

Surely you know better than Kell hound! I thought you referred to what he said about military matters as being BS. Maybe you should explain to us all in full detail, using your own words, how incapable the f35 truly is! How else will we truly understand how the f35 is such a boondoggle?

[Ulmita]

Surely you know better than Kell hound! I thought you referred to what he said about military matters as being BS. Maybe you should explain to us all in full detail, using your own words, how incapable the f35 truly is! How else will we truly understand how the f35 is such a boondoggle?

How old are you?

[Baneth]

How old are you?

Not sure what this has to do with the supposed faults of the f35

[Kellhound]

Read somewhere that they plan on using older planes like F-16s as drones to do dangerous work like attacking radar and anti-air sites.

F-35s would direct these F-16 drones.

The USAF has a hard time finding pilots for its current drone force, finding them for limited use programs will be even harder.

- - - Updated - - -

Heh. "cheaper"

The cheapest one got lowered to 94mil, without the engine. Down from ~102. While I can't find current LRIP 9 costs at the moment, They've hung around the 30mil each mark, though LRIP 7 cut prices drastically to ~18m, and LRIP 8 was ~16m, so ~12m at the low ball wouldn't be out of the ballpark. We're still sitting at 106m for the cheapest plane.

They're not getting cheaper as they buy more, they're panicking that if they don't sell them at nearly a loss, the contract will get cut entirely.

Better to build and sell 500 and lose 5bn, than to build 500 and sell 100 and lose 20bn.

Lockheed's financials show them bleeding cash, and their strategy is to double down and hope the contract doesn't fall through.

From the beginning of the program per aircraft costs have always gone down as numbers go up, it is normal for such programs. As for the cost, a F-16 with the same avionics will not be much cheaper for actual fly away costs.

- - - Updated - - -

Kell's post on that covers me

That is has a low top speed and is expensive? Not really game ending faults, especially when you consider the cost of a similar new F-16.

[Deleted]

What if everyone thinking F-35 being crap was totally intended information war? And Trump in fact didn't make it suddenly good, but gave up on advantage USA had by hiding it's true potential?

[chazus]

What if everyone thinking F-35 being crap was totally intended information war? And Trump in fact didn't make it suddenly good, but gave up on advantage USA had by hiding it's true potential?

Except that it's been in development and production since the Clinton Era.