Posted on 03/14/2022 12:09:30 PM PDT by SpeedyInTexas
Will reduce our per-unit costs as well.
I respectfully disagree. Do you know why Germany used the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand to create World War I? Because not enough Germans died at home during the Franco-Prussian War.
Do you know why Germany started World War II? Because not enough Germans died at home during World War I (half a million to a million).
Do you know why Germany hasn't started World War III? Because 2 to 3 million German citizens died in World War II.
50 fighters is two decent sized squadrons.
It’s a good start but a country the size of Germany could stand to have more like 200-500 fighter aircraft.
Then its how much time the German guys get in the air for comparison.
With only frontal ‘stealth …
+++++
Well that should beat zero stealth. That’s what the Su-35 has: zero stealth. It is a low RC aircraft but but not even clos to to the F-35 in that regard. I can see you but you can’t see me looks an an F-35 advantage impossible to overcome.
Wrong. F-35's are classified as multi-role fighters by the USAF... just like the F-16 you espouse below. F-35's are most certainly not simply bomb trucks.
Russia’s SU-30SM & SU-35 would wipe the floor with them in a huge turkey shoot.
Highly unlikely. The F-35 wipes the floor with US fourth generation fighters in Red Flag exercises to the tune of 15:1 and 20:1 ratios.
With only frontal ‘stealth’, 4 missiles internal, and 216 cannon rounds, F-35s could defend to a degree,
If stealth is of no concern, then why not add the fact that the F-35 can hold six more missiles externally for a total of ten?
but not go hunting with any success.
F-35's have the most advanced sensor suites of any aircraft built (including the F-22) and have unprecedented situational awareness of the battlefield... they are without a doubt the best "hunters" in our fleet.
Besides, its replacing the German’s Tornado bomb truck, in any case. If they need more air superiority fighters besides their Typhoons, then the latest F-16 variant would be a contender. The big factor is who has the most flying time.
Again, the F-35 proves to be far superior to the F-16 in Red Flag exercises. The only reason to choose the F-16 over the F-35 is the cost to purchase and the cost to maintain.
You do know that the outcomes of those exercises are pre-determined? That they are tests of various tactic, strategies weapons and systems, and not about which fighter is better than the other?
Classification, smasification. The F-35 was designed to be the follow-on bomb truck after the F-22 achieved air supremacy and take out the remaining AAAD - look it up.
I did not mention ladening the plane with all the possible external load outs because that would destroy any semblance of stealth.
The F-35s are out-ranged by the long range missiles (Vympel R-37s) MiG-31BMs pack - in fact, there was a story on FR about how planners have no intention of using F-35s in a peer to peer conflict as they would be lost quickly.
with AESA radars old stealth like F-35 and possibly F-22 is of no consequence. The forth coming B-21 could likely remain undetected.
They could come up with more money quickly. Just ID all the economic migrants who’ve been on their dole longer than x months and boot them back to their origin—which for migrants to Germany would be mainly Turkey. Then cut their minimum wage and take a close look at the ethnic native Germans on their dole longer than x months. Boot a bunch of them off to provide a pool of suddenly hungry and desperate folks to do the scut work the imported Turks weren’t willing to do. Up the tax benefits for families with at least one working and with more children. More self supporting Germans needed.
We're just sending them up to follow a script? Why even train pilots then? Sounds like they are going to be woefully unprepared in combat if you are correct. In that case, might as well send them into combat in old planes so that at least we're not costing the tax payers as much.
Classification, smasification. The F-35 was designed to be the follow-on bomb truck after the F-22 achieved air supremacy and take out the remaining AAAD - look it up.
This is not unlike the high/low mix of USAF F-15's and F-16's / USN F-14's and F/A-18's, no? By this logic, the F-16's and F/A-18's also simply bomb trucks. (This of course is not the case, and the F-35 is much, much more than a bomb truck.)
I did not mention ladening the plane with all the possible external load outs because that would destroy any semblance of stealth.
This is circular logic. Stealth doesn't matter but you can't mention the external stores because it would remove the stealth features.
Well, which is it? Does stealth offer a significant advantage? (If so, then the F-35 has a significant advantage over fourth gen fighters even with only four missiles.) Or does stealth offer little to no advantage? (If that's the case, then might as well load up those optional external stores and stop saying it can only hold four missiles.) Make up your mind!
The F-35s are out-ranged by the long range missiles (Vympel R-37s) MiG-31BMs pack
Not entirely sure what you're saying here... no air to air missile has the range of an aircraft, so do you mean the R-37 out-ranges the missiles that the F-35 carries? (Such as the AIM-120 and AIM-9) If that's what you mean, then well the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and F-22 are outranged too.
So with the R-37 in mind... wouldn't you rather be in a stealth aircraft to avoid detection until your AIM-120's could be fired? Wouldn't you also prefer to be in the aircraft with the better sensor suites?
in fact, there was a story on FR
Must be true then. Are we sure we read past the headline though?
about how planners have no intention of using F-35s in a peer to peer conflict as they would be lost quickly.
If you're going to send in the F-35 to meet its peer in combat, well at least the F-35 will have F-22's to cover them. We all know there is no peer to the F-22. I think those F-35's will do just fine.
with AESA radars old stealth like F-35 and possibly F-22 is of no consequence. The forth coming B-21 could likely remain undetected.
+++++
You have me interested. I worked on phased array radars long ago. Being able to point the beam anywhere almost instantaneously was a quantum leap in radar technology.
But … when it comes to stealth it is Radar Cross Section (RCS) that counts. You spray out energy and detect what comes back. The F-35 doesn’t reflect enough to be detectable at long range. The SU-35 does.
And if the radar is pointed at the target all that matters is the antenna gain, transmitted power and the sensitivity and processing capability of the radar receiver. And the RCS of the guy you are trying to shoot down.
Right, they only started two world wars, it’s like they can’t help themselves!
Nope: The Luftwaffe is alive and flying - still under the same name! However, the terms Wehrmacht and Heer have been replaced with Bundeswehr ("Volksarmee" in the East until 1991). Ranks have been NATOized, too. No longer any Feldmarschälle, for example.
Heer still means “Army.” Wehr is also a term for “Army” as in Reichswehr, then Wehrmacht, now Bundeswehr (federal army).
Thank you for your Belehrung (though I really didn't need it).
I was pointing out that the names of those organizations have been changed, and that the old terms are fading into obscurity - not that the words have disappeared entirely from the dictionary.
Regards,
Hmmmm...sorry, but isn’t it a trifle problematic to take H.s (not deigning him with writing down his name) side on any matter?
Just asking, a little sheepishly, but in a friendly manner.
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