F-35B Carrier operation in the Middle East

[Daryl Hunt]

Talk about impressive. These are actual F-35Bs going on different missions into the Middle East. It's not training.

 

[McRocket]

The 'B' I like because it's the only V/STOL Harrier replacement available for the Marines. And it's many improvements on the Harrier...not the least of which is because it is far less susceptible to heat-seeking missiles (due to it's engine nozzle location compared to the Harrier) - the kind that lower-tech enemies tend to have.

But I hate the 'A' and the 'C' models (for the AF and Navy, respectively) as they are nothing but compromise 'fighter/bombers'. And no, I never liked the F-16 or the F/A-18 'fighter/bombers' for the AF/Navy either. Again, compromise aircraft...the AF/Navy should ONLY have the best.

Both services should have a top-of-the-line, air-superiority fighter (like the F-22) AND a separate, top-of-the-line attack aircraft (like the old A-12 Avenger II was going to be). Not a compromise version that can do neither as well as the alternatives.

Not only that...they cost WAY too much for 'fighter-bombers'.

 

[DrainBamage]

Not only that...they cost WAY too much for 'fighter-bombers'.

How much should a 5th gen stealthy fighter-bomber that is the 2nd best air superiority fighter in the world and can hit defended targets that only B-2 can hit cost? It's been wrecking everything put in front of it in Red Flag, putting up massively lopsided kill ratios versus everything they throw at it.

The A is currently projected to cost 80 million by 2020, that's in the same range as newer F-18s/F-16s while much cheaper than Eurofighter or Rafale. The more they produce the less the sense the cost argument makes, yet it still comes up.

 

[Daryl Hunt]

Not only that...they cost WAY too much for 'fighter-bombers'.

How much should a 5th gen stealthy fighter-bomber that is the 2nd best air superiority fighter in the world and can hit defended targets that only B-2 can hit cost? It's been wrecking everything put in front of it in Red Flag, putting up massively lopsided kill ratios versus everything they throw at it.

The A is currently projected to cost 80 million by 2020, that's in the same range as newer F-18s/F-16s while much cheaper than Eurofighter or Rafale. The more they produce the less the sense the cost argument makes, yet it still comes up.

I think the point has been made, trying to get the same basic design to do 3 different missions means that the A only shares about 35% of the parts with either the B or the C. And the powers that be wanted the B first. It was the most complicated of the 3. Getting it into operation first made the A lag behind at least 5 years and the C much longer. It would have made more sense, less expensive and quicker to design 3 different birds where no compromise is used.