Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

Avimimus said:
I'm honestly not sure. The complexity of avionics and engines is very high (almost all of the 'moving parts'). The ability to engineer an airframe and new aerodynamics is getting easier over time.

If the airframe is holding back a willingness to update avionics, weapons, or engine then offering an improved airframe could be a relatively easy and necessary step for opening up the possibility of further investments in the program.

The question is the cost/capability calculation regarding avionics, weapons, engines... what to add, what level of capability, and what alternatives.
Click to expand...
This is certainly true. It seems to me the path to a truly competent sixth generation air dominance fighter would be a new fuselage for the F-35. The Navy did this with the FA-18 family and got the very competent E/F/G (Although they didn't cure the range issues the way they should have).
How difficult would it be to create the fifth generation fighter we should have had with the F-35 if it hadn't had to be spread across three different versions for three different services?
Having said that I suspect the F-35, exactly as it is, is the fifth generation fighter that India wishes they had right now. F-35 Pilots, almost all of them, insist it's an amazing aircraft.
 
FighterJock said:
One solution would be is to lock the workers in a room until they can agree.
Click to expand...
I think those types of work practises passed away with the last century, at least in the US...

NMaude said:
Assuming the UK doesn't have any F-35As on hand no doubt having a squadron or two would be handy as they have a much greater payload capacity than the F-35B.
Click to expand...
Zero chance of an F-35A order from the UK and I'm not sure why people keep suggesting it.
 
NMaude said:
Assuming the UK doesn't have any F-35As on hand no doubt having a squadron or two would be handy as they have a much greater payload capacity than the F-35B.
Click to expand...

We'll be getting another 27 in Tranche 2...then that should be it. All monies go to Typhoon MLU, Unmanned, GCAP and F-35 upgrades post that point...and that accounts for the next 15 years..

Adding another type, which F-35A is, would vastly increase operating costs....if ordered now they wouldn't arrive and actually be operational until the early 2030's...and remember the vastly more capable GCAP arrives from 2035, which will consume funds, and crucially personnel...not just pilots and maintainers, but doctrine, training, tactics, project etc etc.
 
NMaude said:
Assuming the UK doesn't have any F-35As on hand no doubt having a squadron or two would be handy as they have a much greater payload capacity than the F-35B.
Click to expand...
I think the RN might see this as the thin end of the wedge for an eventual RAF divestment of Bs - leaving the RN high and dry.
 
starviking said:
I think the RN might see this as the thin end of the wedge for an eventual RAF divestment of Bs - leaving the RN high and dry.
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not, the RAF knows from its own operational experience the value of having STOVL attack aircraft starting with the Falklands War.
 
starviking said:
I think the RN might see this as the thin end of the wedge for an eventual RAF divestment of Bs - leaving the RN high and dry.
Click to expand...

I think it would be the other way around....RAF are scared if they went down that route, or remove focus from the B, that the RN could make the logical case that F-35B, with its associated budget, should be assigned totally to them....particularly as the likely total buy of 74, opposed to the still touted (but utterly untrue) 138 means that Carrier Strike and a limited land based Expeditionary Capability inevitably becomes the main focus of the fleet....one of which is definitely the RN's area, and the other could reasonably be as well alongside the RM, ship based long ranged fires etc...and with the RAF's investment in heavyweight AAR in the form of Voyager, future unmanned capabilities and GCAP's emphasis on extreme range (allied with increased range air launched stand off munitions on the way) its a fairly reasonable position....as the RAF appears to be pivoting to a force that (sensibly) will launch from increasing distances from the enemy on main bases.
 
timmymagic said:
I think it would be the other way around....RAF are scared if they went down that route, or remove focus from the B, that the RN could make the logical case that F-35B, with its associated budget, should be assigned totally to them....particularly as the likely total buy of 74, opposed to the still touted (but utterly untrue) 138 means that Carrier Strike and a limited land based Expeditionary Capability inevitably becomes the main focus of the fleet....one of which is definitely the RN's area, and the other could reasonably be as well alongside the RM, ship based long ranged fires etc...and with the RAF's investment in heavyweight AAR in the form of Voyager, future unmanned capabilities and GCAP's emphasis on extreme range (allied with increased range air launched stand off munitions on the way) its a fairly reasonable position....as the RAF appears to be pivoting to a force that (sensibly) will launch from increasing distances from the enemy on main bases.
Click to expand...

138 is the UK Government's official committed number so not "touted" and not "utterly untrue".
 
Ron5 said:
138 is the UK Government's official committed number so not "touted" and not "utterly untrue".
Click to expand...

Please tell me you don't think its still credible...look at the Combat Air Budget...
 
138 is also quoted for the number of F-35s ordered on the official F-35 website timmimagic, then that is the number that I am going to go with until it is set in stone.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom