Lockheed Martin has built 1,000 F-35s (so let's bust some myths)
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- čas přidán 10. 01. 2024
- On Jan. 10, Lockheed Martin confirmed they had completed production on the 1,000th F-35 Lightning II. Let's take this opportunity to discuss how far this program has come, and to bust some of the most pervasive myths about this extremely capable - and controversial - aircraft.
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Citations:
www.defensenews.com/air/2022/...
www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-439
www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...
nationalinterest.org/blog/buz...
/ test-pilot-admits-the-...
www.businessinsider.com/f-35-...
www.forbes.com/sites/niallmcc...
www.techtarget.com/searchente....
www.aerotime.aero/articles/to...
www.aerotime.aero/articles/ar...
www.lexingtoninstitute.org/th....
www.sandboxx.us/news/stealth-...
www.airforcetimes.com/news/yo...
www.cbo.gov/publication/58942
breakingdefense.com/2023/09/o...
The hardest part of being a Lockheed F-35 engineer is being able to win every fighter jet argument but having to restrain yourself to keep your mouth shut.
Proprietary information does sometimes make it hard to describe what you do beside Technician or engineer
Their security clearance makes it even harder.@@NeSeeger
Worked on a top secret project once. I described my job as counting washers, nuts and bolts and then binning them...
That does not sound very hard to me. American military tech is a sort of national totem. It's a problem you have always had. The 7th were wiped out partly because they had the new wonder weapon the Gatling gun. It took (from memory) 3 wagons to move it. They needed those wagons for water and ammo, but the % on the sale would have been too juicy to pass up....for somebody.
@@collenfisher3635 heh the pick process is very crucial. Hope your automated warehousing met your needs :)
Russians making jokes about American fighter jets will forever be the funniest thing to me.
Meh not really, it's kinda sad because they actually believe their media without an inch of a thought.
@@ashblythe9598верим чему, позвольте спросить?
@@ashblythe9598thats why it’s funny. They think their fighters can seriously stand up against this manmade dragon.
Then send your wonder weapons to Ukraine. The result will be the same as with the rest you have sent...
@@pixellordm8780a man made dragon that can kill from so far away you’d never even know it was there aswell
People also had a lot of gripes about the f22, but once that platform matured everyone kicked themselves for having cancelled the program prematurely. Both platforms were meant to enter service before all the systems were fully implemented, and it took time for the programs to fully flower. Mark my word, the f35 will go on to be one of the most legendary weapon systems ever created.
The only reason I didn't like this comment was because it was at 35 likes.
There should've been some accounting line deep within the folds of the enormous American defence budget and just kept some production running on a trickle, just or 3 or 4 airframes a year would've work out cheaper than abandoning it
The F-35 is already known to be one of the biggest duds, the most enormous wastes of money the US military has ever taken part in. It ain't gonna get any better.
Obama cancelled the program due to his naive view of defense needs. It was very irresponsible
Both programs pushed the technology of the era. Of course there would be high costs, over runs, and problems to iron out.
While the Gripen is a fine plane, there is a reason it is relatively cheap - it's using well established technology that has been tested and used for years. The flaws, limits and capabilities of that tech is well known. But it does nothing new.
F-35Bs alone have revolutionized Allied carrier warfare in the modern age.
Enabling Japan to operate two fixed-wing carriers for the first time since WWII.
And enabling a US amphib/F-35B carrier force.
Also Allied F-35s of all variants will automatically network with each other, enabling a common operating picture that will be pushed out to all Allied air, sea and land forces in real-time.
Well done.
Yessir the Jeep Carrier had returned do to the F35B's.
allied? which allies? carrier warfare? no it didn't. there was no revolution whatsoever. there's not even new capabilities. harriers do exist you know? f-35b is just an improvement. japan already operated more than two fixed wing carriers even before the f-35 was produced. it didn't enable anything. carriers are carriers they were already capable.
automatic network with other airplanes is an ancient feature. nothing new here.
Are those f 15s flew with f35s at 1:50 ? Or f 18
At the cost of much more capable F35C carrier air wings. Other than stealth - which is unneeded in CAS - the Boondoggle B provides only marginally more mission capability than Harrier 2s. Think if our allies had electromagnetic CATOBARs CharlesDeGalles/Vishal with F35Cs instead of payload/range restricted VSTOLs helicopter carriers. Missed opportunity imo, and costly.
Give over, the Harrier did it before that and won the Falklands conflict
well, having 1000 of them is a vast improvement over having like... not enough.
F22 run really left a sour taste in mouth of all of us
May they forseen chinese intentions
Lmfao promise of 700+ airframes would have been met years ago
1000 F-35s is definitely enough compared to any aircraft "enemies" we may have right now. They're dangerous, and I genuinely trust in their capabilities. I used to hate the F-35 for the reasons others may have had to hate them, and there was plenty to hate them for. These days? All they're proving themselves as is safe and ruthlessly capable.
Granted, I'm a US citizen, but jeez, why would everyone (other governments) want them above most other 5+ generation fighters?
No hate here, not trying to diminish what you're saying, but they definitely have a good track record. That's backed up by proven capabilities.
I never want to see these buggers in true action, war is never good. But they'd be painfully effective.
Are those f 15s flew with f35s at 1:50 ? Or f 18
@@blakena4907 Other countries buy them because they’re the only real 5th generation fighter that’s available.
@@johnback0007Those are F-15’s, not F/A-18’s.
The F-35B was absolutely needed. The Harrier series airframes are worn out.
Also the harrier is known for it's high crash rate.
@@ee-ef8qr More due to pilot error, and since pilots got used to it, it dropped dramatically. This is why the RAF had lower crash rates than the US marines. Their pilots were trained how to properly operate a VTOL aircraft. The marines didn't get as much familiarisation to begin with, and only later on did they lower their crash rates with better training.
@@creepincreepy261Yet when those same harrier pilots got their hands on the F-35 the rates dropped.
@@ee-ef8qr Well obviously, I wasn't saying the harrier was safer than the f35. The f35 is the safest jet ever made. What I was saying is that a large part of the notoriously bad crash records of the harrier were poor training.
@@creepincreepy261 Also with complicated controls it also probably made errors harder to notice
The more I learn about the F-35 platform, the more I absolutely love it.
The only real argument was the cost and nowadays it's cheaper than the older ones lol
The reason 99% of civilians thought the F-35 was "a lemon" was because of the rhetoric of one organization; Program on Government Oversight.. or POGO. This is not a department of the federal government... it's an activist org funded by George Soros (bear with me... I know it's sounding like a "conspiracy theory" but this is all very easily verifiable). POGO's stated purpose is to divert government spending away from Defense, Law Enforcement, and Space, and toward social programs. In their defense, I think these activists genuinely believed that the F-35 was taking food off school lunch plates (which is not true), and they wanted to do something good to stop an injustice. Here's how they did it:
Initial Operational Testing (IOT) is what an aircraft goes through after it finishes the prototype phase. During IOT, real military pilots fly it and provide their opinions. The reports that are written, if compared to a house build would be like "We've decided that we need more kitchen space, can you take it from the living room".... not "Hey, you forgot to put plumbing in my kitchen!". So it's not a "trouble report' but rather a "feedback report" 9 times out of 10. These IOT reports are public record, since we tax payers are footing the bill. One good example of how POGO exploited these reports was with the Onboard Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS). The report said that a Pilot experienced a lack of oxygen during a flight. POGO put together a report, which CNN bought from them. The headline said "F-35 Program Unsafe, Pilot Nearly Dies!". In reality the OBOGS system has been having trouble since it was first put in Navy aircraft (I know, because I was an engineer when they were acquired). So every time an IOT report would be released, POGO would find a way to spin it.
What bothers me is that after the F-35 proved itself with an air-to-air kill ratio of 70:1, and a nearly perfect ABDA (average bomb damage assessment) the media didn't report that news, or retract the misinformation they had purchased from POGO. But then again, should we even be surprised?
That's how propaganda works.
@@tellyboy17 Propaganda is making us love the F-35? It's not the 70:1 kill ratio achieved in Red Flag Exercises (which are not for public display, but Military Member Readiness)? Are you of the mind that anything that doesn't fit your narrative is 'propaganda'? This is not a political matter... unless of course politics is synonymous with social justice in your mind... and that sir is SOCIALISM... one step from Communism... the very enemy of the American Way of Life. If we put politics aside though, we might come to the conclusion that we Americans are so privileged that there are many other nations who hate us for it. We might consider that national defense should be equally important to every clear thinking American. I posted on the topic of propaganda in another thread within this post. I'm going to quote that statement for you to consider... just in case you're someone who takes the time for more than 'headlines'. I'm a former Military Engineer (no corporate affiliations) and I have a son on active duty.
The reason 99% of civilians thought the F-35 was "a lemon" was because of the rhetoric of one organization; Program on Government Oversight.. or POGO. This is not a department of the federal government... it's an activist org funded by George Soros (bear with me... I know it's sounding like a "conspiracy theory" but this is all very easily verifiable). POGO's stated purpose is to divert government spending away from Defense, Law Enforcement, and Space, and toward social programs. In their defense, I think these activists genuinely believed that the F-35 was taking food off school lunch plates (which is not true), and they wanted to do something good to stop an injustice. Here's how they did it:
Initial Operational Testing (IOT) is what an aircraft goes through after it finishes the prototype phase. During IOT, real military pilots fly it and provide their opinions. The reports that are written, if compared to a house build would be like "We've decided that we need more kitchen space, can you take it from the living room".... not "Hey, you forgot to put plumbing in my kitchen!". So it's not a "trouble report' but rather a "feedback report" 9 times out of 10. These IOT reports are public record, since we tax payers are footing the bill. One good example of how POGO exploited these reports was with the Onboard Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS). The report said that a Pilot experienced a lack of oxygen during a flight. POGO put together a report, which CNN bought from them. The headline said "F-35 Program Unsafe, Pilot Nearly Dies!". In reality the OBOGS system has been having trouble since it was first put in Navy aircraft (I know, because I was an engineer when they were acquired). This is not an issue unique to the F-35, and it's not critical. So every time an IOT report would be released, POGO would find a way to spin it. What bothers me is that after the F-35 proved itself with an air-to-air kill ratio of 70:1, and a nearly perfect ABDA (average bomb damage assessment) the media didn't report that news, or retract the misinformation they had purchased from POGO. But then again, should we even be surprised?
Another quick note to you @tellyboy17; I'm a disabled war vet. One thing that always wrenches my heart is seeing how the American media portrays our own military. They hate us. They lie to make Russia seem stronger (to get fear ratings) and lie about the U.S. Military to make it seem inept (because defense is a Republican topic). You can think otherwise if you want, but I've seen it first hand for many years. American journalists have nothing but contempt for our troops and veterans. During the war I witnessed dozens of miraculous acts of heroism and kindness that would have made immortal and epic stories. The media chose not to report them. They would talk about anything else except our troops ... until some rare departure would occur like a group of marines pissing on a corpse or something, then they were all over the story. It's contemptable. Do some research and make up your own mind about the people who volunteer to protect you and your family, and the equipment they use. Don't trust the headlines.
@@tellyboy17 Nuh Uh
Actually, the F-16 vs F-35 “lost dogfight” is even simpler. The fight was a test of the F-35s Flight Control software. The pilot complained that the F-35s flight computer gave too little rudder during turns causing the F 35 to skid through turns and lose energy. They simply reprogram the flight control system to give more rudder; that’s part of the testing procedure, and that’s all the test was an all it said. Although it’s true, that model didn’t have much of a stealth equipment or electronics. It was simply just a test of the flight control system, computer software. It’s the equivalent of turning on the stove, determining that it’s not really hot enough and then turning the temperature up to make it hotter that’s all it was.
moving more rudder doesn't make it beat the f-16. f-16 has a rudder too. f-35 wasn't even designed to dogfight. f-35b even lacks a gun.
@@riskinhos
The AF-2 prototype that flew in that test flight was limited to 6.5g as opposed to 9+.
It had most of its avionics (including HMCS and EO-DAS) disabled as well, as, unlike in an actual dogfight excercise, you don't need most of that to counduct guided maneuver tests to validate fly-by-wire calibration.
Production F-35s hold their own in dogfight against NATO 4th gens, due to more efficient use of control surfaces by fly-by-wire, and better excess-thrust-to-weight ( (thrust-drag)/weight ) ratio when fully laden.
Obviously its strengths come out in BVR, but it's far from hopeless in a dogfight.
@@My_initials_are_O.G.cuz_I_am and to quote the designers...if the f35 ends up in a dogfight, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. At least against any of the adversaries its expected to fight.
@@My_initials_are_O.G.cuz_I_am sure. 9999g. fuck sake. even F-35 PILOTS say they lose.
An F-16 would in all likelihood smoke an F-35 in a real dogfight. The problem is that the F-16s chances of actually baiting an F-35 into a dogfight are slim to nonexistent. Realistically the F-35 would destroy it before it even knew it was there.
Wow...hard to believe it has been in service for 12 years already, and that 1000 have been built....feels like yesterday they were just starting to test them.
There are already F35s in boneyard.
It’s been in service for 7 years.
JSF started when I was a kid in 1996 and the X-35 won in 2001 if I remember correctly
If you want to feel older...the F-22's original program began in...1981. Funny how "super modern" our stuff is, yet it's already 30-40 years old.
@@oskar6661tends to be how these things work. Takes a while between tech being developed and tech being utilized
This is the program that I feel most proud of being a part of. I worked for Northrop/Grumman in Palmdale, CA. We built the center section of the aircraft. I am retired now but our goal was to work our production rate up to one a day. I am sure they have achieved that goal by now as we were already up to one every other day plus some when I left.
To be honest, I wouldn't have been proud of being a part of a program the result of which can't go supersonic for any meaningful time without a danger of a structural failure.
@@user-yb3lf3bv3r To be honest, what have you achieved in your life? Quit believing the BS.
@@user-yb3lf3bv3r Most of the time fighters are subsonic to save fuel, increasing range and/or payload.
@@mkvv5687 but one of fifth gen requirements is ability to maintain supersonic flight for extended periods of time, isn't it?
🤦♂️ If you'd worked on the YF-23, you'd have a very different opinion.
90% of the stories of F-35's crashing that I have come across are the B model, and if you look at other V-TOL aircraft they all have... issues... so don't blame all F-35's for the one that deliberately tries to defy Physics
Almost all have been pilot error... it's not the plane's fault if the pilot runs into the refueling plane, or the ground crew leaves an inlet cover on the intake duct, or the pilot has a medical issue (japan pilot). However, all of these things get counted as a "crash", without regard as to why.
@@_Coffee4Closers unlike Russian aircraft where they get shot down by their own air defence.
But yeah pilot error, soon we will get to the point where AI will fly and fight for us and humans will just make the decisions far from harm and I don't really know how to feel about that.
I don't know what is more terrifying a human who can make mistakes but has a soul and can feel or an AI that works flawlessly every time but is cold and lifeless.
@@Thunderbox247 True, but in reality we are a long long way from allowing the AI to have the final say, if ever. I am sure the Russians and Chinese will be much less ethical, but the West will not take a human making the final decision out of the loop for a long time. And honestly, in the end the AI will probably make less mistakes in that regard that it's human counterpart.
@@_Coffee4Closers I really, really don't think it'll take that long -- we'll have a human making the "decision" to tell the AI to strike the truck convoy and command post...and I'll give you two guesses who analyzed the intel to identify those targets
@@tomc.5704 Perhaps, but in the West a human will still evaluate that intelligence before giving the command to attack unless the situation has become pretty desperate. Will mistakes happen, yes. However, it's like crashes with "Self Driving Tesla's", when one screws up and slams into a truck there is a lot of criticism, even though the "human" drivers crash at a 1000 times higher rate. I think in the end we will find that the human making the final say will screw up more than the robot once we get to that point.
The F-35 procurement was a disaster. But the systems pioneered on the F-35 will pay dividends for decades. Sixth gen aircraft will be cheaper and more plentiful because they raid the F-35 parts bin.
and learn from procurement mistakes made during the F35 program.
funny because even the USA DoD says 6gen will cost more per unit. perhaps you should call them and tell them how wrong they are
One hand will raid the parts bin while the other hand raids government funds. In short, 6th gens will cost more.
Speaking of costs, I’m pretty sure Alex did a show talking about the inflation adjusted price of he F-15A and F-14A. They were in the high $200M-$300M range per copy if I remember correctly. That makes the F-35 a steal, and makes the 6th Gen platforms seem more reasonable.
@@joelgraley8209 those values are completely wrong. F-35 is by far the most expensive aircraft program in the world with a price per unit much higher than anything else. by far. that's just a proven verifiable fact.
They have built 4600+ F16's since 1973, F35 was first built 2006. That is kinda amazing.
The first production F-16 were built in 1978 78-0001 I know because I worked on then in 1985 at Luke AFB
comparing F-16A with F-16V makes total sense.
No Pierre Sprey said it is a turkey. And he designed the A10, F15, F16, P-51 mustang, Spitfire, F22, the space shuttle, and the spaceships the aliens use. He did it all by himself in his basement. So he knows.
It does excel in flying in the Chasm in the Saarland.
The wright brothers were actually Pierre Spray aswell
@@alessandrobarallo3368 Pierre Spray was actually Archimedes.
@@Big_Red1 In a sense, aren't we all Pierre Spray?
@@Big_Red1Pierre Sprey also i vented the wheel
Fun fact: F-35's have now dropped in price to around $89m per unit, while the F-22 is roughly $150m. Producing weapons, especially modern ones, relies on mass production to make them affordable, which is why the program was often given the "too big to kill" tag
Producing anything affordably requires mass production
Incorrect the USAF ver with immediate spares 160 million the VTOL version with Immediate spares 264 million your being lied to about the real cost 20 million per year to train pilots the USAF has cut training because it can't afford the cost
Air to air F-22 is the badest plane in the air.
@@samketurakis2915 🤡 Described as the jet that ate the Pentagon 220 million each new. Few still exist almost no parts they don't have enough pilots for them the last big storms down south damaged some in storage. Their stealth coating washed off in rain needing recoating every time they flew. Current value 660 million with spares unable to be upgraded due to age and cost. Humiliated in Syria by the Su35 removed from duty when the Su57 arrived there. Eventually left because Sand ate everything on it. And the B35 Kamakhazi is a dammed sight worse. Made in AMurica best in the world. Parts of it can't be fully serviced outside the US
@@yfelwulf9930Wtf are you Talking about? 186 Of F22 still exist, and they are still the Best in the world.
The thing I wish people would realize is how important the technological advantage has become with China and Russia waning economically. The point made about the F35 being a force multiplier will ensure more pilots get to go home. The farther ahead our new radars and missiles track and fly the more likely it becomes that everyone goes home safe. The lessons learned will inform every design going forward.
Currently the big issue with China, is they didn't sign the treaty between the US and Russia against medium range missiles. So the US has (or had) a big gap in range. This puts US carriers at risk as planes have to be launched from outside anti ship range to get close to launch missiles. I sure longer range missile batteries are coming online soon for the US, after Russia or Trump backed out of re-signing the treaty.
This range limitation matters because in war games, most airframe are lost on the ground, so airbases also have to be based further out.
One thing baffles me: the US have built the F-35 around the medium range AMRAAM missile, while many of its customers have access to the longer range and more capable Meteor missile. By all accounts, the "new" range of super-modern missiles that are under development should bring the US up to speed with their Allies across the pond, but everything I read indicates that development is slow (very expensive) and likely to be at least years away, if not only in the next decade, Ie post 2030! [I hope Alex Hollings will clarify for us!] So, why did they not incorporate Meteor in from the start? It was around even in the early stages of F-35 development. Is it a case of suffering from a disease called NMHS (Not Made Here Syndrome)? I suspect so! After all, how could they admit that their Allies have a better weapon the Granny AMRAAM?
@@granatmof Russia backed out of that treaty and so did the US recently so a few of our formerly short range missiles are getting restrictions taken off of them and these "refits" are allowing for seriously extended range of missiles using already well established platforms.
I guess if china gets hit in the teeth harder than they were expecting due to extended range missiles being very prolific they can thank Russia for taking those gloves off first and letting the US do the same.
@@dennisleighton2812 well the AIM-120 AMRAAM is only a little bit shorter range at about 160Km (unclassified) but the AIM-152 program and the AIM-260 JATM program are slated to be adopted giving a range out to 200Km and the AIM-260 JATM has supposedly entered production in the last quarter of 2023.
@@granatmof Not even near coming online. In fact they are not even out of testing phase yet.
I would say that the Block 4 F-35 should be classified as an 5.5th gen fighter
Shut up
IMHO, that's about as silly as classifying the super hornet and perhaps the rafale as gen 4.5.
Sure, they are more capable than a 1980 f-16.
But it's not like the other platforms like the chinese jets haven't been upgraded, or aren't being upgraded as we speak.
What remains clear to me, is that a super hornet will have a hard time against an f-35 or a j-20 - Which is why you don't dare to call the super hornet "gen 5".
Instead of half-generations, why not call it "combat value", if that's what you mean?
@@doyouwanttogivemelekiss3097
Sorry but aren't the Eurofighter, the Rafale or the Super Hornet classified as 4.5th gen fighters as they make use of more adavanced technology that is usualy seen on 5th gen aircaft but on an 4th gen Airframe
Thats done to to make platforms of older disign still combat ready today
Or did I get somthing wrong
Pls enlighten me when yes
I am just an armchair Historian
@@simonwoess5679 sure, but that demonstrates my point even further: what sense does it make to speak of gen 4.5, when currently everybody flies gen 4.5 - unless they fly gen 5?
While fighter designations are ultimately arbitrary and by no means a scientific "taxonomy" of fighters, I do believe there's a lot of utility as shorthand for communicating just how advanced or powerful some fighters are compared to others.
I think it should be understood that Block 4 F-35's are a step above previous 5th generation fighters, even including the F-22. "5.5 generation" indeed.
Always great watching a video like this knowing my Dad worked at Skunk Works and built the prototype F35 as well as F22. Sure wish he was still around to discuss videos like this with.
Thanks and RIP to your Dad, Stand proud!
My dad worked there as well on the same programs. Very proud of his contributions. Sad to see the old Lockheed site is now an outlet mall I believe.
@@robertdonovan3986 easy to be proud of them. My Dad started at Burbank but then transferred to Palmdale so it is still there.
That is great. I’d have loved to hear his stories. I really hope you’re an airplane nut and absorbed them all.
I never realized the internal weapons bay only held 4 missiles. Getting that upgraded to 6 will be a huge improvement that significantly improves its combat capability and attractiveness to buyers.
I think the initial idea with the F35 was to fly in formation with a squadron of F15 "missle trucks" and control the BVR targeting of the 15's munitions.
@@keithchristner4522 Also apparently should be able to interface with Navy ships and ground based missile systems and fire their missiles, or at least mark targets for their missiles.
@@keithchristner4522 yeah its basically a flying targeting computer designed to share data across a network of platforms, the F-35 doesn't just fire its own weapons it fires its friends weapons too lol
Its already hugely attractive to buyers as only mass produced stealth fighter
@@SmokeDog1871 I think the future of military procurement will be Alliance wide adoption of standardized equipment to bring down the costs for everyone.
I know this means the US will basically be the DeFacto leader in arms development for aircraft but I think when it comes to NATO that isn't really a problem.
I think if France could swallow their pride and work closer with Germany on standardizing around a new tank design they could work with poland and the other NATO nations to produce them at a low cost to improve force readiness.
I think for Destroyers and other smaller military vessels a joint production and development program could be done between Japan, UK, Australia, South Korea and the United States to get a relatively cheap destroyer vessel in large scale production and widely adopted among the US and its allies as well.
I don't know about anyone else but the thing that actually shifted my thoughts/beliefs on the F-35 towards a constantly growing level of respect is actually the CRASHES! I can't be the only one to notice how seemingly intact they look afterwards. Sea, land doesn't matter most look like they could be put back into service.
No they can't. Official reports claim that repairing them would cost more than a new one. By the way, you sound just like that one "expert" that commented a photo of burnt out Leopard 2 tanks and Bradleys saying "they don't look completely destroyed"
Your momma looks like she could be out back into service
@@user-yb3lf3bv3rHe didn't say they could be put back together, he said they 'LOOK LIKE' they could be put back together !!!
User ybf is has cyrillic script username. Potential slav troll posing as comment police. Great way to use your knowledge of english cyka mydak.
@@user-yb3lf3bv3r Or like the Russian claiming that Rostov on Don submarine that had a huge hole from the Ukraine missile attack is not destroyed
Thanks for this accurate and current assessment of the F-35. I've grown tired of making these same arguments whenever the F-35 is mentioned in other videos. For the record, I also remember all the negative press the F-22 got until it started blowing people's minds at airshows. Now it's regarded as the best dogfighter ever built (except by the Su-57 fanboys). If people had any clue as to the classified capabilities of the F-22 and F-35, their minds would be even more blown than before.
The Raptor was a bridge from the 4th Generation and the F-35 is a bridge to the 6th Generation
Yeah, a "step through"
Bring back the Raptor line.
This is one of the best episodes yet. Absolutely stunning delivery and incredible information for dispelling common myths! Much respect for your journalistic talent, sir!
Funny thing is you can find hundreds of video with or without data claiming the opposite in most of this myth. So whom to believe?
Fact is, this whole program was a massive failure compare to other simplet jets that can do the job just as good or sometimes better : (looking at you Rafale)
@@synhet84 Gotcha. So somehow in this stealth & technology driven age, you have determined that simpler jet can do jobs as good or better. Brilliant. Some deep military strategist thinking right here. Rock on internet warrior.
Russian fanboys should never talk about planes crashing
Call them Russian Simps or Russian Bootlickers. If they are Russians just call them Ivans.
🤣
I work for pratt, the bigger issue is we face is these upgrades seem simple to the average person, but to us, it means a total redesign of our power and cooling system for their upgraded, because the plane is just a chunk of exotic metals and materials without the power plant that meets all of the design criterias.
I wish there were more, if not any, YT docs on powerplants. I’m always interested in reading about powerplant operations and maintenance, and it would be great if there were videos on the engineering - at least what’s declassified.
I love how you present the content on your channel. So professional, detail oriented, and easy to understand! Your channel is amazing! Keep up the great work!
the operating costs were also not a fair comparison because the f-35 internally carries a lot of the costs that 4gen requires in pods/attachments...the data was skewed because clean 4th gen vs clean 5th gen are two different things apples to oranges
True and in general 5th gen will simply cost more to operate. The massive difference in capabilities is also simply worth that cost.
Great point 👉
Also 4th and 4.5 Gen fighters require up to a 24 aircraft group to fly the same mission as a 4 man group of F-35.
@@markoconnell804 you mean like a dogfight mission?
@@riskinhosthere's no "dogfight mission."
“There are more F-35s on the deck of that ship than there stealth fighters in all of Russia”
There are as many stealth fighters in my grandma’s basement as there are in all of Russia.
Either your grandma is a secret warlord, or Russian military is shit:D
You must be a friend of Putin, otherwise how would you know?
A few years ago while talking to a USAF F-35 driver, I asked about its air combat maneuvering abilities. He told me he flew F-16's before transition to F-35A. He told me ( even a few years ago) that F-35 holds its own in dog fighting. But he noted that if he had to merge into a dog fight, he'd realise that he messed up 40 miles ago, as he should have gotten the shot in BVR.
The F-35 is better since even those few years ago.
F35 at the merge: hammer the throttle until you are 40 klicks away then turn around and finish him
I told a friend once in an F-35 argument: "You're looking at the iconic fighter hardware that will fly over Western Skies for 50 years to come". I think we're on track for that. Keep em' coming.
At 4:44 minutes it was great to see the VMA 211 patch. I was a Vietnam era avionics tech and at that time VMA 211 was flying A4E Skyhawks. As much as I'm a Skyhawk fan aircraft have come a long way in 50+ years.
Basically disregard EVERYTHING Pierre Sprey has ever said.
Anyone believing that sad AH as well as any fighter mafia wankers demonstrates poor cognitive skills.
Awesome work as always, Alex! As you said, this will be a great video to send to others when chatting and they bring up misconceptions. 🤙🏽
People have been erroneously knocking the F35 for years. The F22 got upgrades as a result of the F35 but couldn’t be brought up to complete F35 capabilities because of hardware limitations. Case in point: the helmet. People keep talking about maneuverability without bringing up the fact that the pilot can look at anything spherically right through the aircraft and fire a missile in that direction. Maneuverability is great for point and shoot but the F35 doesn’t have to point to shoot and opposing aircraft do. The F22 can now fire in a lot of directions but not quite spherically.
The big point is about the pilots. There are a whole lot of pilots who have flown F35’s and legacy aircraft like F16’s and F15’s and none of the pilots who have flown F35’s want to go back.
Costs have always been overestimated, in part because the F35 was all inclusive and other aircraft were not. They’d price out other aircraft but then there would be the add-ons, all of which cost a lot, but were included in the F35 sticker price.
This is before we get to the fact that an F35 is capable of functioning basically as a mini AWACS. What do you figure that means when your Air Force has two thousand of them? And that’s without the Navy. And what does it mean when because of the F35B we can now use much smaller ships as baby aircraft carriers? This is not only an amazing aircraft, it’s an amazing aircraft we can project. Russia can’t project power like that and Chinese carrier-based fighters are awful to the point where their military has mocked them in their own press.
baby aircraft carrier...the USS America (LHA-6), carries 20 F-35s. Plus an amphibious Marine Force.
The block 4 upgrade will be so incredible that I would argue it would dethrone the F-22 as the true air superiority fighter.
0:26 Oh snap! Alex coming with the jokes😂
At the end of the day, the F35 is an insane airframe
Older jet fighters had much trouble becoming reliable systems too. There's a book where one quote lists out the problems testing the F-14 that finishes saying it took a couple of decades to evolve into a truly reliable jet.
if you can show me someone who says "X" jet had no issues I can show you a liar lol
You mustn't speak of bad vlad puteen wit dat disrespec.
Someone made a comparison somewhere else, the F-35 has been in production for 15 years now has had 4 air frame losses with one death. In the first 10 years of the F-16 program they had about 150 air frame losses with 70 deaths.
I can't verify the exact numbers, but the F-35 is being held to a higher standard due to media attention. The radar issue that it had a few years ago, where the fix was to reboot the radar system every ten flight hours until a software fix was applied in the next software cycle a few months later, modern fighters like the Rhino have to reboot the radar nearly that every flight on some air frames.
Yeah the F-14 is much beloved today in hindsight but it was a complete donkey when it first came into service. Ferociously expensive to build and operate, nearly impossible to maintain, the early engines were a deathtrap and the missiles it was designed to work with were unreliable at best, they also regularly dumped millions of tax payer dollars into the ocean because they couldn't return to the carrier with a full payload of weapons. They figured it out eventually though
@@DjDolHaus86 I feel like that is a disservice to donkeys lol
Thank you Alex to give us so interesting, quality and complete informations. I never miss a show.
I seriously cannot get enough of this channel. 👍
I saw at least 50 f35s on the tarmac and more in the air at Luke afb while doing work as a contractor the other day. Very loud when you're 200-300 ft away from them.
Also, as pilots pointed out, it takes time figure out that best maneuvers to fight an aircraft, beyond the tech restrictions.
As usual, spot on Sandbox. All the way from Australia, I appreciate your work mate.
THIS - is just one more reason we love your channel !! Thanks Alex !!!
Quantity has a quality of it's own. Especially when your nearest peer adversaries would be bringing knives to the gunfight. And their fanciest knives, the J20 & the Su57 have respectively ~100x & 1000x the radar xc of the F35. I hope those J20 ejection seats have actual working parachutes.
You just know those ejection seats keyhole through the canopy like their rifles do
Good thing the F-35 has both quality and quantity.
All quantity does is to turn your territory into a target-rich environment.
When China, Russia and US start a war, no fancy tactical rifles, NVGs, laser guided bombs or super expensive planes with shiny canopies and cool-looking dirty gray wings will matter. It will be all nukes, cruise and ballistic missiles and artillery (most of Russian artillery has nuclear ammunitions, by the way), at which US doesn't really shine because it isn't that good for bullying some tribal men or cool propaganda photos and videos.
@@XenomorphineNot when you can’t see them or lock on to them
You're becoming one of my favorite channels to watch!
Thanks for adding all the context and details.
Its always hilarious to me that people say stealth is useless because 1 f117 got shot down and only got shot down because the sam nissile site that shot it down turned its radar on the exact second the f117 opened its Bombay
Yeah the F117 shootdown was largely a result of incredible luck and complacency in flight patterns IIRC.
One of the biggest lessons to learn is that stealth isn’t an invulnerable shield - even with stealth you can still get shot down in the right circumstances, so you need to know how to best use the stealth capabilities
That's exactly right. Very few people know this.
Couple of factors contribute to the F35s myths:
The first is the cost of the program which the generally terrible mainstream media will inevitably jump on because its good headlines.
The second is that fighter jets are simply cool and go fast, hence they attract a large amount of the population who like jets but have no actual knowledge on what makes a good fighter in todays environment beyond how fast it is, how tight it turns and how many weapons it carries. The general public is entirely ignorant on stealth and 5th gen systems and the soft factors that make them so deadly. The average person thinks fighters still fight like in Top Gun and really dont understand the fundamental change in air combat the F35 has brought about.
that's the first I've heard of block 4, that makes sense. this was a very fair over view.
This is by far the go-to channel for military aviation my friend
Congrats to turkey for choosing s400 over f35. Worst decision ever
Could you do a video about the future of Shorad?
Will short range air defense provided by the laser stryker? Will the Bradley replacement IFV XM30 function as an anti air cannon? Should the US look at the SkyRanger / Skynex / millenium gun system? And will there be a Stinger replacement with a better battery, targeting, and most importantly more affordable? Or is this affordable future the APKWS guidance upgrade for the cheap and plentiful Hydra 70mm rocket? Should we slap that on Avenger Hummvees? Or IRIS-T?
I think it’s hilarious how the U.S. Army can field laser beams before they can field new built MANPADS missiles.
@@deriznohappehquite its all about priorities lol, I know the US has been testing variable focal point lasers to create fake radar & thermal signatures too haha. basically its a really simple concept where a lasers focal point is adjusted quickly to make a fast moving point of combustion in the air and the plasma formed by ionizing the air shows up on radars and because of the high heat a multi aspect guided missile will actually follow it and try to shoot down literal hot air.
I love your channel and passion.
When the F-35 was doing it's initial teething and almost everyone was bitching and moaning about the cost and delays, I pointed out that first, it wasn't the first fighter by any means to have the program drawn out, and second, the cost was not a real issue, as we have a lot of money, and by the end, there would be a superior plane. Witness the F-105, which had the same problems. Delays are standard practice, and there are/were few exceptions. To quote Donald Douglas, "When the weight of the paperwork equals the weight of the airplane, the airplane will fly."
Sandbox news delivering real and verifiable facts as always and shutting down the internet trolls 👍
HEY ALEX: Don't forget us Aussies, we now have the third most powerful stealth airforce in the world behind the USAF and the USN ! (Well, until the Japanese pass us, lol.)
Great to see, excellent analysis.
Thank you Mr. Hollings
I appreciate your truthfulness and honesty in regards to this groundbreaking aircraft.
Let's not forget that the F-35 is technically three planes in one.
It’s a camel. lol. A racehorse designed by a committee. That being said it does a pretty impressive job as a camel.
@@chrissmith7669 Camels can be deceptively fast and have insane levels of endurance though lol. don't bully those beasts too much haha
You mean a compromise jack of all trades?
@@unclefart5527 its a multirole fighter which is basically what all modern fighters are today.
@@unclefart5527 people who use jack of all trades and apply it to a machine that can do multiple things are midwits.
you realize that "jack of all trades" is about how people spend their time building skills and not about a machine that can do multiple things at the same time.
the F35 doesn't need any compromises to be a computing powerhouse. that buzzword just sounds dumb when used in this context.
Awesome video Alex. Your reporting is unmatched.
Once again excellent reporting. Nice work everyone.....nice work effort ! : )
I learned so much from this, thank you.
Editing the F-35 wikipedia article was a hopeless task for 10 years because every editor and the administrator were all Russians, probably on a payroll. If it wasn't another interview from Pierre Spey about how it would never fly, they were absolutely not interested.
I feel very bad for you, were you able to finally edit it?
they aren't all russians. I'm from usa and I've contributed quite a lot to that article. wikipedia just doesn't need your narrowminded bias. that's all.
@@riskinhos Why don’t you guys at least try to sound like Americans when you’re trolling?
I know English as a second language can be hard, but come on, step it up.
Okay there Lazerpig alt account ;)
@@deriznohappehquite I actually speak 6 languages. unlike you that speaks less than one.
I recall back in the day, the F-18 used to be called a lawn dart, because it was pointy and stuck in the ground. Seems like the same thing, and eventually that reputation died down.
I do wonder if the unfavorable F-22 comparisons still stand though. With the amount of secrecy it's hard to get a good grip of how they really stack up.
That was the F-16, which had a difficult break in period.
@@cturdo Yep, you're right on that one, just looked it up. No idea how I got that one mixed around.
@@Reaperman4711f18 did get a lot of similar criticism as the f35 back in the day. Too slow, not manueverable enough, a glorified bomber, etc. the people that say this shit dont realize for very enemy fighter in the sky there are 10000 potential ground targets.
Well, the F-22 is 1-0 against balloons right?😅
The F-15’s development was also hugely controversial, and it went on to be an absolute monster air superiority fighter that’s still being used and improved today.
Thanks for this!
Great 👍 video and information! I appreciate your work and effort! Keep on it!
Would you say that the Russian / Ukrainian war is validating the concept of the f-35 ?
No dogfights, most important is the radar capability and the the ability to avoid defence
One of the few “real” takeaways from this war is the importance of stealth in preventing a2ad quagmires and over reliance on extremely expensive long range missiles.
This concept was validated long before the F-35. There was a wooden plane in WW2 that took advantage of both of those to be very effective, called the Mosquito.
At first I was critical of the F35 being a boondoggle as well but it's nice to see it redeem itself and being the information superiority platform it was intended to be. If only the USN could say the same for the LCS. At least they're getting back into the FFG building game... a few decades late with billions wasted on the LCS but hopefully some lessons were learned.
Had not been a fan until Israel has shown its effectiveness in blowing up Syrian airstrips protected by soviet radar. Many of the issues he covered, from the readiness % problems to the software to the dogfighting had me questioning its use. He didn't mention the lack of oxygen issues in the cockpit which still might be a problem.
Good Job Lockheed Martin on building over 1,000 F-35 Jet fights super jet number 2 in the World! Number 1 is The F-22 Jet! I wish we had 1000 F-22 Fights Jets✈✈✈✈✈
Thanks for setting the record straight, Alex! The Block 4 will be BADASS!
On the infamous 'can't dogfight'report. In fairness, the F-16D was carrying dollies or drop tanks, which are limited to 5.5G's. But as other have note in the comments, the test flight was not about who would win, but testing the flight control logics. IOW these tests (of which there were many, not just this single one) are designed to find weaknesses, so in order to fix that.
Not sure why I rember reading in Aviation Week years ago that it was a "stripped down f16A" that won the dogfight against the f35. A bit of "1984" adjustment in the story.
*It's not talked about much BUT if 5 or 6 / F-35's combine their radars into an IA computer they can see 500 Miles and target up to 400 Miles distance.*
Cool, do they carry anything that can reach out to 400 miles?
@@duaneaikins4621 *That's not how modern war works all the time. Once you have a target lock at say 400 miles you could hand that info to a Submarine commander who shoots a Cruise missile at that ground target, probably a radar installation in the first few months of a war. Also the F-15 flying next to the F-35 team can fire an AGM-158C LRASM with a 500 mile range using the F-35's aiming data shared by computer link. THESE ARE VERY SMART MACHINES SHARING ALL THEIR DATA!!!*
Thanks!
love what you're doing here, alex! smack em with facts!
I just read that quietly loyal li'l Australia, which has stuck by our original 72 jet order since before it even had a designation apart from "the Joint Strike Fighter" through any amount of snarky press catastrophizing and government reviews, is at the point where we are now the 2nd largest user of the F-35 outside the USA with 63 of the A's in service. There are slightly larger orders on the books from Japan, the UK and a late-to-the-party Canada, but for now Australia flies the largest foreign Lightning II force. The locally developed Ghost Bat "Loyal Wingman" fighter drone will soon accompany our planes in flight which should make a nifty force multiplier for them. I'm relieved by this since China isn't getting any friendlier with time and we're closer than you are!
How do your aviators feel about the F-35? I hope they absolutely love flying them. Cheers from USA 🇺🇸
@@JimCarner China has or is setting up bases on islands much closer to Australia than Taiwan so our F-35s are defensive too, Australia's long used friendly bases close to the action when engaged in foreign actions such as the Middle East or East Asia, and long-range tankers won't get shot down if they're properly protected. But I see you are invested in talking the F-35 down, where basically any plane but that would do a better job. Whatevs.
@@Johnny-bm7ry I looked around awhile to find some interviews with RAAF pilots and they're so businesslike and technical, it's hard to find an opinion, but more than once I've seen them call it "easy to fly"- as familiar to fly as an F-18 and almost as easy as its own SIM. Plus they've described the sensor suite as "turning night into day" in terms of situational awareness.
Apart from that, I'm sure they'd echo other pilots in other countries who, among other things, have marvelled at how they can point the nose at the most extraordinary angles, throttle up and the plane will just go there. They love to throw it around the sky in airshows too. It's a pilot's plane, isn't it? Not sure I've ever heard an aviator dislike one.
Wouldn't the Block 4 F-35s technically be Gen 6 fighters? Gen 6 fighters will presumably be defined by their command and control and information logistics systems.
I think its short of 6th gen because its not truly mission capable of unmanned flight. I call it 5.5 gen.
5.5 i guess, 6th gen would have a jump in stealth characteristics, let's say F117 was first gen stealth then 22 and B2 second gen, F35 3rd gen and then 4th gen stealth iteration being the NGAD, just like the 3rd gen AESA radars that we use right now.
@@ashblythe9598 IIRC B-21 Raiders are stated as being that next generation of stealth (they call it a 6th gen platform in marketing).
Keep up the good work
thanks for this
A video about the AAS / FARA (armed scout helicopter) program would be cool. Sikorsky has the S-97 Raider compete with the Bell+Textron 360 Invictus.
The Raider has troop capacity while the Invictus does not, but that gives the Invictus better stealth properties, just like the Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche had. Not sure why Sikorsky abandoned that design, as they first came up with it. Just to push a common scout and transport design when they already lost the Blackhawk transport replacement to the Bell V280 Valor?
Even if they had spent $1.7 trillion and were still figuring out bugs: I'm an IT guy and there is unequivocally *NO* software even half as complex as the F-35 has without some bugs. There's no way less than $1.7 trillion has gone into Windows, Mac OS or Android and all those definitely have thousands of bugs.
Poorly placed edit: 1000 existing doesn't mean they're good though...I don't even need to give examples of the popular crap people buy, but the automotive world can be particularly hilarious for popular garbage.
In case anyone reads this (at all) and thinks this: no, Mac OS isn't bug-free, Apple are just less transparent than the FSB and Apple users aren't generally nerds who spot/report them, it has just as many. Incidentally, and a little off-topic, I've also removed more viruses from just one iMac than my entire career and personal history of viruses on other platforms, so that's a thing.
Damn, got distracted at 7 mins and went on a bug rant, better watch the rest!
No, Apple, Microsoft and Android have not spent anything approaching 1.7 trillion on any software.
@@duaneaikins4621 Haven't they? On the basis the figure is total program cost, which in this case would mean every penny spent on anything to do with their OS and related software, it's got to be something in that magnitude that's gone into them. If you resources spent by other companies finding bugs with their software I'd bet on it being a heck of a lot more than that.
Even if that is an exaggeration though, it's semantics as the point stands perfectly well with any figure - the idea that "they've spent too much money for there to be bugs" is totally invalid. You could spend more than the combined economy of the planet on software that complex: it will have bugs.
Well done video. Thanks.
I enjoy your show!! Thank you!!
Does anyone know why the F-22 couldn’t be sold to other countries (like Japan), yet the newer “Toyota Camry” of fighters are sold to everyone, well our US allies? 17??
It's against the law as passed by Congress.
Well the f-22 was build to be the best fighter out there, the f-35 is a replacement for the f-16 and a10. Also the f-22 replacement is already on the way, the ngad is soon to be introduced and i doubt they will sell it.
@@scottcooper4391 yes, that’s obvious and has been stated a million times, but why? What sort of tech is in it that is so sensitive?
Damn, a simple question is responded with a bunch of filler as if it’s a challenge to pretend like you know 🤣
@@greg.peepeeface it wasn't built to be selled and therefore wasn't built to hide its secrets if loss
China has what? 100-200 j20s? granted those have crap engines and with stolen US stealth tech. No one really knows how stealthy they are. J20 is also much cheaper plus there aren’t enough f35 in the pacific. I don’t get why people are so focused on Russian military, like su57 when there is a bigger threat
Since real costs are rarely advertised in totalitarian states, I wouldn't be so sure it's actually cheaper.
Fair point, and recent news about PLA rocket force selling rocket fuel and replacing it with water in their actual rocket does make PLA Appear weak, incompetent. Most of these PLA generals are in it for the corruption money, and they buy mansions in US, EU afterwards. I guess the economic factor is more scary since china makes so much of the stuff we use
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🛩️ *Lockheed Martin's F-35 Production Milestone*
- Lockheed Martin has produced 1,000 F-35s, making it the most successful stealth aircraft production run in history.
- The F-35 surpasses all other stealth aircraft in numbers and is the 7th most widely operated fighter worldwide.
- The program has expanded from 9 to 17 nations, with significant flight hours and sorties achieved.
02:06 📉 *Addressing Misconceptions about the F-35*
- The F-35's reputation has been affected by acquisition troubles, but it remains technologically advanced.
- It has a safer crash record compared to other fighters and has reduced its operating costs significantly.
- The aircraft's capabilities in dogfights and misconceptions about its cost and readiness rates are clarified.
07:51 🚀 *Future Upgrades and Challenges for the F-35 Program*
- The F-35 faces new challenges with Tech Refresh 3 and the upcoming Block 4 upgrade.
- Block 4 will significantly enhance capabilities with advanced radar, electronic warfare, and weapon upgrades.
- Despite delays and costs, the F-35's technological advancements make it a pivotal fighter for future air combat.
Made with HARPA AI
Great video, great content from a great channel. Highly recommend this channel to others as well. If people here aren’t subscribed they need to do so in order to support more of these videos.
People saying that the F-35 can't dogfight because it lost to an F-16 is like saying someone is a bad boxer because they lost to prime Mike Tyson, most things will lose to an F-16 in a dogfight.
I could beat /Mike Tyson or any other world champion, if he couldn't see me, had no idea where I was was, and I had a crow-bar. That would be the real-life fight between an F16 and an F35.
That myth has also been busted once you actually dig into what was the handicaps.
Yeah does anything beat an F-16 in a two Circle? I don't think there is.
And even more so when they have an arm tied behind their back. Hate seeing big news organizations talk about how bad an investment these aircraft seem to be, when it's just the result of rigorous testing and training trying to find the limits of the airframe.
Not even that.
The F-35A in question, the prototype designated "AF-2" was software-limited to 6.5g as opposed to the standard of 9g. It also had most of its features (Including the HMCS!) disabled as it was just a test flight for fly-by-wire calibration.
So it's like saying that a boxer that could beat Mike Tyson in his prime, is a bad boxer, because he lost a non-serious sparring session while dliberately putting 2/3 effort, had a hand behind his back, and was blindfolded.
Could've shown just a single F-117 and said it's still more stealth aircrafts than all of Russia's. The Su-57 is not a "stealth" aircraft, it's "low-observable", and even that's debatable. It's 4.5 gen, not 5th gen.
There is no such thing as a stealth aircraft.
@@arnoldvezbon6131Yes there are. F-117 Nighthawk, B-2 Spirit, F-35 Lightning, F-22 Raptor.
@@arnoldvezbon6131 Don't confuse "stealth" with "invisible", you dope.
When an aircraft with a length of 62ft, wingspan of 45ft, height of 17ft, and weighing 43k-65k lbs, like the F-22, only appears to be the size of a bee on the radar, it's most definitely a stealth aircraft.
Great work 💯
"WOW" Outstanding job Lockheed Martin!
Super super helpful and informative. I never saw these updated figures and perspective! Just goes to show, don't let misinfo and disinfo kill or undermine a good thing! Absolutely game changing stats. Not that there aren't still issues!
I would love to hear Alex's take on the KC-46 program!
Alex, I love your discussions. There is always a lot of light, and just about the right amount of heat. This one was especially good at explaining why the F-35 got a bad rap initially, where it stands now, and possibly where it could head in the future. The technology is incredible, and the "flying super computer" aspect explains why everyone and their brother wants one. Sorry, Victor Orban, you can't have one! 😳😉😄
Thanks for clearing a lot of the worries up. It makes me feel a lot better about the F-35 replacing the F-22.
Thank you Alex! Finally some good news for the F-35.
I understand the frustration with the acquisition processs from first-hand experience. From 2000-2015, I worked as a contractor under the umbrella of acquisitions and fielding. Among the many tasks in which I participated was functional user interface QA/QC and software configuration management. One of the hardest things for an outsider to understand is in the contracting world, deliverables have to be handed over by a certain date or the manufacturer/developer faces hefty fines. So, it was very common to receive a software package with more flaws than Swiss cheese has holes. It was a mess, but the developer could check that "delivered by" block. What would inevitably follow is a constant flow of software patches over several weeks and sometimes months. One thing might be fixed but break another. This would go on until the software functionality was acceptable to the customer. As I saw the F-35 teething problems, I knew this was exactly what was happening. I also saw the F-35 not only as a replacement for the AV-8B, but also a modern 5th generation equivalent of the A-7 Corsair II, which turned out to be a phenomenal strike platform for the Air Force and Navy. I never saw it as a dog fighter, but now it can hold its own. I think it'll be an excellent "Wild Weasel" SEAD/DEAD platform as well. I still maintain, however, that it falls short of being a proper A-10 replacement for the CAS role. You've got to own skies before CAS can be effective. Will CAS be a role for the UAV in the future? The fight in Ukraine is changing paradigms. We'll see.
The Bradley went through the biggest joke of a development cycle any armor has ever seen. That being said, go see how much the Ukrainians love them. In fact I just watched one disable a T-90M with the M242.
The Ukrainians want to buy/build on license 1000 CV-90 IFVs. There are something like 1400 total in the world currently. So yeah..... We don't really have the production capacity.
I was gonna mention this. When the T-90 came out, OMG. It would walk all over anything the West had. We should tremble in fear. Nothing could match it. The thought of a Bradley even having the audacity to take on a T-90 let alone winning was unthinkable. Then we see these systems in combat. Again, it’s just this American mindset to drag down everything. It’s really annoying. In Iraq T-72s were target practice for Abrams. Yet, it was well……they weren’t fighting good tankers. Really? The same tankers who just had an 8 year war with Iran?
@@SeanP7195 Yes. It's sooooo annoying that US armor is so much better than that pile of shit russian garbage. This isn't WWII. Numbers don't mean shit.
Most of the supposed controversy of the Bradley was just plain made up by people like Colonel Burton.
So you base your evaluation of a weapon based on a single evidence?
I definitely am one of those people. Had to do a massive eye roll when I saw the article about the F-35 "Lightning" not being able to fly near a thunderstorm.
"There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime" - USAF saying for five or six decades, posted as a Ha Ha Only Serious sign in many ops planning offices. Thunderstorms kill, and if they don't kill they often break a lot of really expensive shit in a hurry. Sure, let's say it's a fighter, it can take g's from the horrific turbulence. Thunderstorms can dump enough water to choke out engines, including all but the highest-bypass turbofans. The rain can turn into hail of unknown size on a moment's notice, busting your radome and radar and anything on a leading edge, such as your lovely radar-absorbing paint, sensors, missiles, and RWR antennae. And dense showers of hail have been observed from clear skies, thrown out the top to 10-20 miles outside the visible cloud.
No airplane should fly near a thunderstorm unless there are nukes or a major movie franchise involved.
Excellent info Alex. This sheds more light on the capabilities and future upgrades on the F-35. A jet I thought was a disaster of a program a few years back. Good to know my taxpayer dollars wasn't completely wasted if at all. Is there an updated dogfight scenario between the F-35 and F-16 that you know about? If so, please make informational on it. That would be very interesting for all of us to see!