F35 - superfighter or lame duck?

[Manonthestreet]

[when is a cut not a cut ...when it's the F35 getting cut of course.....

The Air Force didn't cut a single one. They buy every A model that comes off the assembly line. The AF can't get enough of them. The B got reduced when they discovered just how lethal the A is and reduced the number of Bs to purchase As. The Navy reduced the Bs because there is just so much money in the wallet and had no choice but to go with the cheaper F-18E and Fs at about half the cost over the Bs. But the Navy will not cut the Cs. Like the Air Force, the Navy has some really tired old fighters they have to get out of the inventory. The AF and Navy need to get rid of the old birds from the 70s. The AF has upgraded their tired old A/B models to C/D standards bit the Navy couldn't upgrade their C/Ds to the E/Fs since the Superbugs are essentially a completely different fighter. So, they do what they have to do.

The reason the AF is buying new F-15X models is because the assembly lines of the F-35 isn't keeping up with the needs of the pilots. They have to get the old converted A models of the F-15 and F-16 out of the inventory as fast as possible before they start falling apart in the air. So they found a way. And that way works out pretty damned good. But the F-35A was never supposed to replace the F-15. It was always supposed to replace the old tired F-16s that have lead a hard life, a much harder life than the F-15. They can either replace them on the ground or wait and replace them in the Air and no one wants that to happen. Well, maybe you do but not the rest of us.

Now go read. More than Bs got cut. Not as many. Thing will never be built in numbers advertised. Navy for sure since they cut another carrier and neeed to beef out drone fleet to go with it. Future airway per carrier potentially only 10 f35...10! Of another fighter, rest drones and helps.

 

[Daryl Hunt]

[when is a cut not a cut ...when it's the F35 getting cut of course.....

The Air Force didn't cut a single one. They buy every A model that comes off the assembly line. The AF can't get enough of them. The B got reduced when they discovered just how lethal the A is and reduced the number of Bs to purchase As. The Navy reduced the Bs because there is just so much money in the wallet and had no choice but to go with the cheaper F-18E and Fs at about half the cost over the Bs. But the Navy will not cut the Cs. Like the Air Force, the Navy has some really tired old fighters they have to get out of the inventory. The AF and Navy need to get rid of the old birds from the 70s. The AF has upgraded their tired old A/B models to C/D standards bit the Navy couldn't upgrade their C/Ds to the E/Fs since the Superbugs are essentially a completely different fighter. So, they do what they have to do.

The reason the AF is buying new F-15X models is because the assembly lines of the F-35 isn't keeping up with the needs of the pilots. They have to get the old converted A models of the F-15 and F-16 out of the inventory as fast as possible before they start falling apart in the air. So they found a way. And that way works out pretty damned good. But the F-35A was never supposed to replace the F-15. It was always supposed to replace the old tired F-16s that have lead a hard life, a much harder life than the F-15. They can either replace them on the ground or wait and replace them in the Air and no one wants that to happen. Well, maybe you do but not the rest of us.

Now go read. More than Bs got cut. Not as many. Thing will never be built in numbers advertised. Navy for sure since they cut another carrier and neeed to beef out drone fleet to go with it. Future airway per carrier potentially only 10 f35...10! Of another fighter, rest drones and helps.

The Navy has a hard road ahead. They need those new capital ships. And each capital ship costs more than the entire F-35A Air Force Fleet purchased as of today. We aren't talking about 80 million, we are talking about 10s of billions and more per ship. While the Air Force is getting everything they want and more, the Navy is having to cut procurement to afford those 50 or so capital ships they need. Even so, the Navy is purchasing 30 F-35C models this year with more on the way next year with a few F-35Bs. But the Navy has to make a choice between 2 F-35Bs or 3 F-35Cs. They choose the 3 F-35Cs. Much like Britain did when they lowered their B order and changed to the A and increased their number ordered.

 

[Manonthestreet]

They'll cut more. So will AF. Pilot shortage and need for drones.

 

[Manonthestreet]

Only Capital ships navy will build is New ssbn and some Ford's. Ordered some drone subs already and I think they just bought two 2000 ton missile ships. Don't know load out yet

 

[Daryl Hunt]

They'll cut more. So will AF. Pilot shortage and need for drones.

The AF found a way around the Pilot Shortage. Use Enlisted Troops to pilot the drones releasing the Pilots back to the fighters. If I were a fighter pilot (the rush of all rushes) and they stuck me flying a friggin drone, I might be looking at an alternative job as well. The facts remains, the AF has the pilots. They don't have the aircraft to keep the Pilots current. And that is currentcy is why our Pilots are the best in the world. We got the Gas, the parts, the support troops and now the pilots but not enough seats to sit the butts in. If we are forced (and we are) to taking the old converted A models out of service without replacements then we don't have the seats for the butts we have. I saw a picture of what one person thought that Russians were doing due to lack of Fuel in training their Pilots. I guess we can do the same thing. Have your pilots walk in formation wearing a box with wings on it and practice formation flying.

 

[Manonthestreet]

No ..no they don't

 

[Manonthestreet]

Need the drones for the F35s ...

 

[Daryl Hunt]

No ..no they don't

No,NO they don't what? You got to do better than that.

 

[Daryl Hunt]

Need the drones for the F35s ...

Currently, there are thousands of drones that can be put into the air. And currenttly they are using Pilots to fly them taking them out of the fighter seats to do it. There is a pilot (see the pun) program to get enlisted people to fly the drones. The Army and the AF are even looking at bringing back the Flying Sgts for less than hazardous aircraft flying to get more pilots into the seats they want to have for fighters.

One F-35 can only handle X number of drones. At some point,, you are going to have to introduce Drone Pilots into the mix. AI isn't up to the task quite yet and may never be.

 

[Manonthestreet]

Need the drones for the F35s ...

Currently, there are thousands of drones that can be put into the air. And currenttly they are using Pilots to fly them taking them out of the fighter seats to do it. There is a pilot (see the pun) program to get enlisted people to fly the drones. The Army and the AF are even looking at bringing back the Flying Sgts for less than hazardous aircraft flying to get more pilots into the seats they want to have for fighters.

One F-35 can only handle X number of drones. At some point,, you are going to have to introduce Drone Pilots into the mix. AI isn't up to the task quite yet and may never be.

Not for combat ones controlled by F35....recce asw....terrorist wacking.....you won't need as many as you think. Stealth drones so you don't give away the f35. If these missile ships pan out that's big step. Small frigate packed with missiles due to no need for crew. Add an autonomous drone helo....or single use throw away small plane type with cams.....

 

[Daryl Hunt]

Need the drones for the F35s ...

Currently, there are thousands of drones that can be put into the air. And currenttly they are using Pilots to fly them taking them out of the fighter seats to do it. There is a pilot (see the pun) program to get enlisted people to fly the drones. The Army and the AF are even looking at bringing back the Flying Sgts for less than hazardous aircraft flying to get more pilots into the seats they want to have for fighters.

One F-35 can only handle X number of drones. At some point,, you are going to have to introduce Drone Pilots into the mix. AI isn't up to the task quite yet and may never be.

Not for combat ones controlled by F35....recce asw....terrorist wacking.....you won't need as many as you think. Stealth drones so you don't give away the f35. If these missile ships pan out that's big step. Small frigate packed with missiles due to no need for crew. Add an autonomous drone helo....or single use throw away small plane type with cams.....

If, If, If. Reality is now.

 

[Manonthestreet]

Need the drones for the F35s ...

Currently, there are thousands of drones that can be put into the air. And currenttly they are using Pilots to fly them taking them out of the fighter seats to do it. There is a pilot (see the pun) program to get enlisted people to fly the drones. The Army and the AF are even looking at bringing back the Flying Sgts for less than hazardous aircraft flying to get more pilots into the seats they want to have for fighters.

One F-35 can only handle X number of drones. At some point,, you are going to have to introduce Drone Pilots into the mix. AI isn't up to the task quite yet and may never be.

Not for combat ones controlled by F35....recce asw....terrorist wacking.....you won't need as many as you think. Stealth drones so you don't give away the f35. If these missile ships pan out that's big step. Small frigate packed with missiles due to no need for crew. Add an autonomous drone helo....or single use throw away small plane type with cams.....

If, If, If. Reality is now.

No ifs about it. Wingman drones debuting now

 

[Daryl Hunt]

Need the drones for the F35s ...

Currently, there are thousands of drones that can be put into the air. And currenttly they are using Pilots to fly them taking them out of the fighter seats to do it. There is a pilot (see the pun) program to get enlisted people to fly the drones. The Army and the AF are even looking at bringing back the Flying Sgts for less than hazardous aircraft flying to get more pilots into the seats they want to have for fighters.

One F-35 can only handle X number of drones. At some point,, you are going to have to introduce Drone Pilots into the mix. AI isn't up to the task quite yet and may never be.

Not for combat ones controlled by F35....recce asw....terrorist wacking.....you won't need as many as you think. Stealth drones so you don't give away the f35. If these missile ships pan out that's big step. Small frigate packed with missiles due to no need for crew. Add an autonomous drone helo....or single use throw away small plane type with cams.....

If, If, If. Reality is now.

No ifs about it. Wingman drones debuting now

You need to tell us more about the wingman drone debuting now. It appears that the rest of us don't have that much information at hand.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

F-35 has hottest engine in fleet.....F18 will do ground support better simply cause it carries more.. Fact I would be surprised if an F-35 is ever tasked to do it simply because of cost differential in repairs. One reason I believe they are adding F-15s plus we dont have evough high altitude Fighters. F35 rcs is larger than F-22 marginally smaller than f-18

Can an F-18 take off from an LHA?

No.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

F35 doesn't have range to escort any long range platform ....why Navy has alrdy started looking for it's replacement ....even before it's in the fleet in any numbers ...damning indictment

What long range platform?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

[when is a cut not a cut ...when it's the F35 getting cut of course.....

The Air Force didn't cut a single one. They buy every A model that comes off the assembly line. The AF can't get enough of them. The B got reduced when they discovered just how lethal the A is and reduced the number of Bs to purchase As. The Navy reduced the Bs because there is just so much money in the wallet and had no choice but to go with the cheaper F-18E and Fs at about half the cost over the Bs. But the Navy will not cut the Cs. Like the Air Force, the Navy has some really tired old fighters they have to get out of the inventory. The AF and Navy need to get rid of the old birds from the 70s. The AF has upgraded their tired old A/B models to C/D standards bit the Navy couldn't upgrade their C/Ds to the E/Fs since the Superbugs are essentially a completely different fighter. So, they do what they have to do.

The reason the AF is buying new F-15X models is because the assembly lines of the F-35 isn't keeping up with the needs of the pilots. They have to get the old converted A models of the F-15 and F-16 out of the inventory as fast as possible before they start falling apart in the air. So they found a way. And that way works out pretty damned good. But the F-35A was never supposed to replace the F-15. It was always supposed to replace the old tired F-16s that have lead a hard life, a much harder life than the F-15. They can either replace them on the ground or wait and replace them in the Air and no one wants that to happen. Well, maybe you do but not the rest of us.

Now go read. More than Bs got cut. Not as many. Thing will never be built in numbers advertised. Navy for sure since they cut another carrier and neeed to beef out drone fleet to go with it. Future airway per carrier potentially only 10 f35...10! Of another fighter, rest drones and helps.

That carrier was restored to the budget. Have a nice day!

 

[Daryl Hunt]

F35 doesn't have range to escort any long range platform ....why Navy has alrdy started looking for it's replacement ....even before it's in the fleet in any numbers ...damning indictment

What long range platform?

Without drop tanks (which it can use 2 of them) the F-35 has a slightly longer range than the F-18. The Navy does miss the range of the F-14 though.

 

[Manonthestreet]

F-35 has hottest engine in fleet.....F18 will do ground support better simply cause it carries more.. Fact I would be surprised if an F-35 is ever tasked to do it simply because of cost differential in repairs. One reason I believe they are adding F-15s plus we dont have evough high altitude Fighters. F35 rcs is larger than F-22 marginally smaller than f-18

Can an F-18 take off from an LHA?

No.

Never said it could .....

 

[Daryl Hunt]

F-35 has hottest engine in fleet.....F18 will do ground support better simply cause it carries more.. Fact I would be surprised if an F-35 is ever tasked to do it simply because of cost differential in repairs. One reason I believe they are adding F-15s plus we dont have evough high altitude Fighters. F35 rcs is larger than F-22 marginally smaller than f-18

Can an F-18 take off from an LHA?

No.

Never said it could .....

Actually, it might but it's going to be close. But it can't land.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

F-35 has hottest engine in fleet.....F18 will do ground support better simply cause it carries more.. Fact I would be surprised if an F-35 is ever tasked to do it simply because of cost differential in repairs. One reason I believe they are adding F-15s plus we dont have evough high altitude Fighters. F35 rcs is larger than F-22 marginally smaller than f-18

Can an F-18 take off from an LHA?

No.

Never said it could .....

F-18s cannot do ground support for Marines if they have to take off from a carrier that may or may not be even in the area.