The F-35 is not even better than the F/A 18 it was originally supposed to replace (let us not mention the F-35 which, with modern avionics, is still superior).
The F-35 was a great idea that failed due to mission creep.
The proper “better” comparison is with the F-22, which should absolutely be brought back.
It’s a $100,000,000 platform. How does it perform against 10 $10,000,000 platforms?
Give it to Israel they’ll fix in no time
Efforts must be made to produce the best fighter platforms possible at a fixed point in time. Just like in computer technology, if you stop to actually produce and manufacture a product for sale, you fall behind in innovation. But if you fail to produce anything you have no product to sell, and no income to fund further innovation. In computer-land, this is inconvenient, but in warfare-land, if you don’t compromise and get a platform in the sky, your best ideas may belong to your conqueror. ...
There is only one way to know these tings. They have to fight.
There are plenty of examples of “inferior” aircraft that would win in actual combat against the “superior” foes. Tactics are more important. Wildcat vs Zero is an example.
Bet you dollars to doughnuts he was standing in the presence of a superior occifer when he (felt compelled) to make that statement.
There is only one way to know these tings. They have to fight.
There are plenty of examples of “inferior” aircraft that would win in actual combat against the “superior” foes. Tactics are more important. Wildcat vs Zero is an example. Years a go when F-4s were still in reserve they would regularly defeat young F-16 guys. Tactics tactics tactics and training training training and experience experience experience.
the chinese 5th gen fighter, the j-20, is our F-22 thanks to hillary and 0bama
One of my concerns is that the F-35 is designed to be fighter and attack aircraft (a/c) and as such has certain real compromises to fulfill both tasks. Now much the same condition has been the case for years with the USAF using A-10s, F-16s and F-15s.
The A-10 & F-16 were never designed to go up against a current gen frontline fighter although the F-16 had some ability there. So it was the F-15 Eagle’s job to be their defense and blocking tackle in this role.
So my sense is that we are in danger of having too few F-22s to act in this role formerly held by the aging F-15. While the Eagles can help, we need to restart the production line for the F-22 against the future opponents.
My $0.02 worth of opinion.
Patently ridiculous. The F-22 would stuff it up its own tailpipe.
Airframe-wise, probably not. Avionics-wise, definitely.