Just read the F-35 has been announced Combat ready...is this real or has the definition simply changed? If its ready we should see it begin to bomb in the Middle East and even see it sometime soon in the South China sea...Fingers crossed.
I guess I don't necessarily understand the need for this thing. Seems like they could have rolled the dough spent on this into the programs that are already on the books (F/A-18, AV8, F-15/16) instead of reinventing a wheel that works just fine. I look back at the 30 years the the OV/MV-22 Osprey has been on the drawing board. That was supposed to hit the fleet in the early 90's to replace the CH-46. Maybe a better question: IS there really a threat out there, pending or otherwise, that created the need for this pies of equipment?
I don't pretend to fully understand...but as I see it, this generation of aircraft was always going to be sought and built, if only as a continuation of the thinking of constant improvement to maintain the edge - something that can deter as well as destroy. I'm also thinking that no-one considered there would be such problems as have been encountered. Teething yes, fundamental probably not. We are not far from a new age of flight, hyper speed engines that 'finally' take us from 500 miles an hour to Mach such and such...the 35 won't look so advanced then...
Article in the paper this morning says that the Electro-Optical Target Designation System (The thing that allows targeting for bombs and missiles) CANNOT be used outside the US! There is also a ban on anyone being closer than 9km when the system is activated - and anyone with a pair of Binoculars CANNOT be closer than 33km! I mean WTF!? This could mean Australia just trains in Simulators...This may sound like a BS statement, but I think our own electronic nerdy boffins (the same that fixed all our electrical problems with the Collins class Submarines) should be given a chance to create our own headset and link to systems, thus negating the bans...
Sounds like you would be better off... http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/26/newest-u-s-stealth-fighter-10-years-behind-older-jets.html http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/is-the-f-35s-targeting-system-really-10-years-behind-cu-1676442535
Hmmm...doom and gloom...some of these problems can be overcome with a secondary older aircraft to take some of those roles, an AWAC system working in tandem...or even a pod under the wing with the required avionics...plus systems should continue to be miniaturised in the future...it seems the biggest problem here is the expectation of it doing all the roles needed...maybe some can be fitted for bombing, some for air support etc...? Certainly a fix will need to be found.
