Is the F-35 a waste of money?

[Gaidax]

It can barely dogfight, what's the use?

Yeah man AND it can't make coffee, can you imagine that? I can buy a machine for 100 bucks that can make coffee, but a machine worth hundreds of millions bucks can't do even that.

[Mafic]

For example Israel bought some F-35s, why? Because the doctrine is to ensure technological and military edge, so that the very real threats such as Iran or hell, potentially, everyone around will be deterred from going full-scale bullshit.

The F35 is completely useless in the face of S300s. It requires a massive support system that only the US can field and the F35s role is super niche.

A lot of Nordic countries were looking at F35s to be able to take off quickly in the face of a S300s but quickly realized that the F35s would be blown up before they took off. Better off with a conventional, cheaper plane that is easier to hide, cheaper to maintain and can be bought in greater numbers than the F35.

But there is more:

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...the-first-time

"Among a slew of deficiencies, Gilmore also highlights the F-35’s gun woes, and that it may not even meet its revised testing and operational dates. Bloomberg quotes the memo: "All three models of the F-35 are 'are at risk of not having a functioning and accurate gun' in time for the combat testing because 'significant deficiencies discovered during initial testing' in 2015 'require multiple modifications' before accuracy testing can begin."

As we have stated previously, the F-35 will likely not be able to test its cannon and helmet-mounted display aiming scheme until at least 2018 (now possibly 2019), as software and hardware delays continue to loom even though the USAF promised it operational by 2017 after previous delays."

Good news it can fire a cannon finally. Bad news, it can't aim and it exhausts its ammo in less than 10 seconds. And this is supposed to replace the A10 or the legendary Harrier for CAS?

Hahahahaha.

But there is even more:

As for the pod and its degrading effects on the aircraft's low observable qualities—it was built with reduced radar signature in mind but it will increase the detectability of the F-35B and C somewhat when it is fitted, and it induces a drag and weight penalty like any external store. Still, the F-35, at least historically, will do most of its fighting in low to medium threat environments where external stores can be carried. For those missions at least the gun pod gives the B and C model the option of having a gun at all.

You know what else has reduced radar signature that costs the fraction of the costs of the F35? They are called drones.

Seriously, this plane will not even be a good defense plane on US soil for basic training missions, because of all its limitations. It was supposed to be cost effective and efficient like the F16.

[Zeta333]

Which is practically exactly what actual generals are.

they tend to know a tad more than the random nerd on mmochampion.

[Allybeboba]

All military spending is a waste.

We wouldn't have half of the technology we have today if it wasn't for "military spending".

[Gamdwelf]

T

We wouldn't have half of the technology we have today if it wasn't for "military spending".

No wonder there's more guns than people in the USA

[Magicpot]

We wouldn't have half of the technology we have today if it wasn't for "military spending".

You're right, we'd have more if even half of that funding was redirected to research.

[Deleted]

Where is Skroe when you need him?

[Allybeboba]

T

No wonder there's more guns than people in the USA

Just think, you wouldn't be having this discussion right now if it wasn't for military spending.
Have a great Memorial Day!

[Gamdwelf]

Just think, you wouldn't be having this discussion right now if it wasn't for military spending.
Have a great Memorial Day!

Nobody would be having this conversation if aliens hadn't come down and genetically modified apes into us, so what's that got to do with wasting tax dollars now?

[Easo]

Ohh look, the S-300 brigade has arrived.

I wonder why the S-400 wasn't mentioned instead xD
They should get on with the times!

Nobody would be having this conversation if aliens hadn't come down and genetically modified apes into us, so what's that got to do with wasting tax dollars now?

What are you now even talking about? What aliens?

[Hexian]

All military spending is a waste.

This ignorance in this post is absolutely hilarious.

[Kokolums]

It's a good multi-role fighter, not ment to excel in dogfights.

The costs are way out of hand for some reason.

It half makes you wonder if all of that money isn't being funneled to some secret government project!

[Yvaelle]

It half makes you wonder if all of that money isn't being funneled to some secret government project!

The Firestorm, obviously

[Deleted]

Why are so many people discussing dogfighting? This is the rarest form of military combat around (talking 2017 here).

[Gref]

I swear every month or 2 somebody starts a new f-35 thread. It is ridiculous.
It can stay on the ground for all I care. It may not be good it may not do shit but without f-35 we cannot advance to the next stage. Call it a failure or success, without it and the future "failures, waste of moneys" we cannot have Macross like planes that will one day help humanity in space. I am all up for "wasting" all that money if it will enable us to develop a single line of software code that functions. Let the billions flow, bit by bit we improve.

but that money goes to the pockets of already rich! meh... better it goes to that rich guy and he keeps the project on than a welfare guy.

[Ghostpanther]

All military spending is a waste.

Lol! Yeah, without it, you would not have the freedom to even post on here. :P Because the whole internet would be controlled by a evil empire.

Is the F-35 is waste? It is something I will let the experts decide on. The ones who actually design, fly and work on fighter jets.

[Triggered Fridgekin]

It's not like they take the money they invest and burn it in a dumpster though...

[Kellhound]

The F35 is completely useless in the face of S300s. It requires a massive support system that only the US can field and the F35s role is super niche.

A lot of Nordic countries were looking at F35s to be able to take off quickly in the face of a S300s but quickly realized that the F35s would be blown up before they took off. Better off with a conventional, cheaper plane that is easier to hide, cheaper to maintain and can be bought in greater numbers than the F35.

But there is more:

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...the-first-time



Good news it can fire a cannon finally. Bad news, it can't aim and it exhausts its ammo in less than 10 seconds. And this is supposed to replace the A10 or the legendary Harrier for CAS?

Hahahahaha.

But there is even more:



You know what else has reduced radar signature that costs the fraction of the costs of the F35? They are called drones.

Seriously, this plane will not even be a good defense plane on US soil for basic training missions, because of all its limitations. It was supposed to be cost effective and efficient like the F16.

You do realise the S-300's fire control radars are all in the H-J band, and that is the band range the stealth features of the F-35 are optimised for, yes?

The A-10 exhausts its ammo in about 18 seconds, the F-15E can use its ammo up in a tick over 5 seconds, same with a F-16C and AV-8B (which is carried in an external pod btw). As for the Harrier, it is no more effective for CAS than any other fast moving jet, except it has shorter legs and a much higher crash rate.

Is the F-35 a good CAS aircraft? No, but neither is the Harrier, the F-16, or any other non purpose built plane. What it is is a strike fighter, and for that purpose it is superior to the F-16.

[Deathquoi]

It can barely dogfight, what's the use?

Close range air to air engagements haven't been a part of aerial combat in 25 years. Modern fighters are high speed weapons delivery platforms. The F-35 is designed to carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM with an operational range of nearly 100 miles, the AGM-88 (90+ mile range), the AGM-158 (200+ mile range), and the JSOW bomb (70 mile range). Why would you ever need to dogfight?

[Amalaric]

I think that it would be far better to develop the YF-23 into the F-23A than to waste another penny on the F-35 project.