five reasons if you can't fight an f-35 you're basically dead
this week's performance by the f-35 fighter at the paris air show is a turning point for the world's
most advanced multi-role fighter demonstrating that even when fully loaded with combat gear
it can outperform the tactical aircraft of every other country although prime contractor lockheed
martin has always professed confidence that f-35 would prove itself a dwindling collection
of critics continues to attack the plane citing outdated or simply erroneous arguments
the f-35 was the product of the joint strike fighter jsf program which was the merger of
various combat aircraft programs from the 1980s and 1990s one progenitor program
was the defense advanced research projects agency or darpa advanced short takeoff vertical landing
or est ovl which ran from 1983 to 1994. ostavo aimed to develop a harrier jump jet replacement
for the uk royal navy and the u.s marine corps usmc under one of vestavo's classified programs
the supersonic stavo fighter ssf lockheed skunk works conducted research for a stealthy supersonic
stavo fighter intended for both u.s air force that's usaf and usmc a key technology explored
was the shaft driven lift fan or sdlf system as the jsf program moved into sdd phase
the x35 demonstrator design was modified to create the f-35 combat aircraft the forward fuselage
was lengthened by 5 inches that's 13 centimeters to make room for mission avionics while the
horizontal stabilizers were moved 2 inches that's 5.1 centimeter aft to retain balance and control
the diverterless supersonic inlet changed from four sided to a three-sided cowl shape
and was moved 30 inches that 76 centimeter aft the fuselage section was fuller the top surface
raised by one inch that's 2.5 centimeter along the center line to accommodate weapons bay
following the designation of the x-35 prototypes the three variants were designated f-35a
c tall f 35 b stavel and f 35 c cv prime contractor lockheed martin performs
overall systems integration and final assembly and check out feiko while northrup grumman
and bae systems supply components for mission systems and airframe the critics failed to grasp
that f-35 is one of the greatest technological achievements of this generation a program that
will assure global air dominance for the us and its allies through mid-century it also will help
assure that aerospace remains america's most dynamic export sector f-35 will generate tens of
billions of dollars in trade earnings and tens of thousands of jobs from over a dozen foreign
customers the plane has never lost a competition in which it went head to head with other fighters
however the triumph of the f-35 is obscured by the way in which news is reported program coverage
often highlights the latest development good or bad without capturing the steady progress made
over 16 years since the development contract was first awarded nor the high priority that three u.s
military services have continuously assigned the program through multiple presidencies what follows
therefore is a concise review of five areas of accomplishment that collectively demonstrate the
f-35 program has become a smashing success testing this year the f-35 program will wrap up the most
comprehensive flight test program in aviation history the three variants of the fighter being
built for the air force navy and marine corps have undergone 8 000 flights to gauge their performance
without identifying a single showstopper each of the variants has met all its signature
specifications for stealthiness making f-35 by far the most survivable fighter being built anywhere
sensor fusion networked operations and other features have been thoroughly tested and retested
assuring the planes will always see first and fire first in aerial engagements
tests of the navy version are the most successful at-sea trials the service has ever conducted
operations the marine corps version of the f-35 has been operational for two years and the air
force version for one year f-35s have deployed to japan from which they recently engaged in
exercises with south korea's military and europe where they participated in exercises across the
continent israel the only middle eastern country approved to buy f-35 is also operating the plane
over 200 f-35s have been delivered with the number expected to rise to 600 in 2020
over 400 pilots and 4 000 maintainers have been trained at 12 operating bases
in recent red flag exercises the air force variant achieved a kill ratio of better than
twenty to one against adversary aircraft while being available over ninety percent of the time
cost the air force version of f-35 the one being bought by most allies is projected to cost
85 million dollars in 2019 that's about what the latest version of legacy fighters
like the f-16 cost equivalent to roughly 10 minutes of federal spending at current rates
it is also less than what a 737 max boeing's smallest next generation jetliner lists for
the peak year for f-35 production is scheduled in 2026 at which point all the fighters for all
three domestic military services will cost less than a single day's worth of federal spending
13.6 billion dollars versus 17.5 billion dollars if current trends hold up the planes could be even
cheaper the price tag for the air force version of f-35 fell 12 over the last two production lots
demand washington has not wavered from its plan to buy 2457 f-35s since development began in
2001. obviously that would not be the case of the program that encountered major problems
it is unusual for three services to stick with a plan through multiple presidencies covering
16 years equally striking almost all of the original international partners have stuck
with the program and several new players have signed on denmark israel japan and south korea
canada is the only country that has wavered and in all likelihood it will return to the fold
once it sees the advantages of buying a highly survivable fighter operated
by most of its key allies f-35 has emerged as the global gold standard of next-gen ear power pilots
the most telling testimonials to f-35 excellence come from the pilots who have flown the plane
the navy reported after the first at-sea trials of the carrier version that the aircraft demonstrated
exceptional performance throughout its initial sea trials more recently a squadron commander
who participated in last year's northern lighting exercise told an in-house air force publication
i couldn't ask for anything better it's like fighting somebody with their hands tied behind
their backs another pilot flying adversary aircraft in the exercise remarked we just can't
see them like they can see us it can feel like you are out there with a blindfold on pilots generally
say f-35 is far superior to legacy fighters if you are searching for a metaphor that captures
what f-35 delivers to america's military consider the example of two prize fighters
the next generation contender has a stronger punch a longer reach and superior situational awareness
but he has also something else that transforms the fight he is invisible to his adversary
whatever the other fellow's training might be he can't see his rival to land a punch so he's down
before the first round is over that's what makes the f-35 a game-changing aircraft the one plane
that can keep america's enemies at bay for another generation it isn't just the best air power option
the joint force has it's the only one that works in places like eastern europe and northeast asia
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