“Eastwood says that the F-35 has better stealth attributes than the J-20, with the latter being unable to see the former until a missile lock.”
LOL, and the F-35 in the photo at the top of the article isn’t even slightly stealth. It has to dirty sidewinders hanging on two dirty pods out on the wingtips. It’ll show up like a dirty F-16. And the F-35 “stealth” on a clean 35 is only from the front.
Take away stealth and it’s a slower less maneuverable fighter with a gun installed as an afterthought with a whole 180 rounds (3 seconds of ammo).
And without stealth, it isn’t the handful of J-20s that are the problem, it’s the 500+ J-10s (Their F-16 copy). It can outrun, outturn and outrange a 35 that has lost it’s stealth.
The 35 is designed to prevail in two environments, one where it is protected by F-15s and 22s, and another called the “defense procurement process”.
F-35s production contracts are spread out to 46 states and god only knows how many congressional districts, that’s it’s actual survivability and stealth.
When I went into the USAF in the 1970's we were already flying planes that were as old as the pilots. Our fearless leaders have been suckered by the false peace dividend of the 80's and shut down our creativity and design capacity.
Now we have only three major suppliers and an astounding 25 year R&D cycle to field a new aircraft. They are obsolescent by the time they are deployed.
Congresscritters playing politics, losing the technological edge, surrendering the manufacturing capacity to over regulation and finally, losing the willingness to field a force that would deter an aggressor like the chicoms has led us on a course of national suicide.
We will never again have the luxury of time like we had in WWII to regain the title of Arsenal of Democracy. The American people simply cannot grasp that the next major conflict will be over in hours not even taking into account the use of nukes.
Without the spin and opinion from AsiaTimes
F-35 Cleared For Full-Rate Production 17 Years After Its First Flight
The F-35 has been cleared for full-rate production, although there are lingering issues with preparations for its critical Block 4 upgrade.
https://www.twz.com/air/f-35-cleared-for-full-rate-production-17-years-after-its-first-flight
Article brought to you by Rolls Royce Lycoming, Boeing, Lockheed, and Raytheon.
“China’s J-20 fighters fly in formation at an air show. Image”
Those are not J-20 fighters. They look like Hongdu JL-8 or JL-10 trainers.
The recent GAO audit found the F-35 to be 30% fully mission capable. Marine version was ~15%.
- Maintenance challenges negatively affect F-35 aircraft readiness. The F-35 fleet mission capable rate—the percentage of time the aircraft can perform one of its tasked missions—was about 55 percent in March 2023, far below program goals.
Same F35 that’s only about 35% Combat Capable? Those F35s?
Regardless of other considerations, the F-35B is as asinine as the Osprey and for the same reason, Congressional/donor corruption.
-fJRoberts-
Not a jet v. jet “air superiority fighter”