F35 is so late now. Despite huge dollars expenses the weapon system software stall because too huge, made by too many programming teams, and not evolved step by step. When they solved one problem, another one is creating... it's end less.
How many fighters can supercruise? EF2000 can. Rafale can (with one belly tanks and 4 AAM). at least.
F35A incredibly agile? a dual seat F16 with 2 tanks (not a clean config) over match it ! And F16 is THE reference.
It cannot be that bad because the jet fighter works. Every modern jet fighter has problems but F-35 is over-scrutinized for its problems in Western discourses.
Complaint # 1929292 in 2035 = F-35 cannot reach Mars.
Food for thought. Do you see the Chinese talking about problems of J-20? The Chinese are slowly but surely addressing problems of J-20 but they are not talking about them in Public because they believe in the optics of deterrence. Western people are cry babies of the highest order on the other hand.
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This is a trend to brag and exaggerate stats for marketing purposes. Supercruise capacity comes from a careful combination of very powerful engine(s) and very clean aerodynamics - this theme is central to design of the aircraft. Stealthy configuration is Best Fit in this case.
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Are you referring to dogfight trials conducted in 2015? You need to catch up with times then.
Combat missions against people who have no aircraft. Its easy then isn't it. Both these countries always fight those who cannot fight back
Every country would like to fight an enemy on its terms. Being fair or unfair does not matters, bro.
Suicide bombing is
unislamic but some Islamic groups have adopted this tactic to kill others in current times.
My point was that F-35 are not being kept in hangers but deployment and used in combat situations just like other jet fighters. This was in response to OP who grossly under-appreciates F-35 in his talks.
But On this one, I am with you to some extent. the main feature of F-35s is stealth. It compromises on rest. Rafales, EFs will beat it in payloads, supercruise or any other parameter. New more powerful & anti-stealth radars will be made in due course and that will further degrade F-35s value. But for now, F-35 is a great hegemony tool for USA. The aircraft is fully programmable with software, so hence I suspect, some of features can be controlled even remotely. This aircraft can never be imagined to be used against US interests anyways. Good for US and its partners. Europeans needs to make their own 5th gen solutions if they want full autonomy and want to control their own defense in future.
See above for "supercruise" part.
F-35A has 11 hardpoints for payload, and its total payload capacity is 22,000 lbs.
Rafale F3R has 14 hardpoints for payload, and its total payload capacity is 21,000 lbs.
Eurofighter Tranche 5 has 13 hardpoints for payload, and its total payload capacity is 20,000 lbs.
F-18E/F has 11 hardpoints for payload, and its total payload capacity is 17,750 lbs.
F-16 Block 70/72 has 11 hardpoints for payload, and its total payload capacity is 17,200 lbs.
J-10C has 11 hardpoints for payload, and its total payload capacity is 13,230 lbs.
F-35 also feature [vastly] superior sensor package and electronic warfare capabilities.
Factor in stealthy airframe now.
Sorry but F-35 is well-equipped to fight battles of the future - much more-so than others in the medium weight class.
Your thinking is very much similar to Russians where you believe stealthiness to a certain degree such as F-35, J-20, F-22 is pointless and lower observable is enough but mainly a fighter's edge over another is in its flight performance. Flight performance is both important for BVR and even more so for WVR. I think these days F-22 and J-20 at least can fly exceptionally well while also gaining that upper tier stealthiness. F-35 not quite so much as these. The area of electronics missiles and stealth I think still outclasses the flight performance focused philosophy. Best is to have it all. I believe J-20 tries to do that while F-22 has been upgraded there are limits. USA has planned to retire F-22s now. If they kept the F-22 running and ordered many hundreds they would have multiple blocks rather than upgrades that are very restricted. F-22 could have been the ultimate fighter with 2020s computing and avionics for latest blocks if they kept the production line. F-35 truly does not perform as well as F-22.
F-35 is VLO compliant design. Lowest stated RCS figure is 0.001 in accessible sources but lower RCS figure is hinted in one very informative source.
J-20 is VLO compliant design? Lowest stated RCS figure is 0.08 in accessible sources.
J-20 is most stealthy in the heavyweight class after F-22A though. This is a better way to hype it in this aspect.
