Henning, I don't think there's a warfighter out there that will disagree with your last post. The problem is that war fighters don't make that call. Generals and Congress do. There's a whole new (old?) can of worms...

The question becomes, "When everbody paying the bill, in both money and lives, and not standing to personally gain from the expense, sees that a costly error is being made, why do we tolerate it?"![]()
Ever read The Pentagon Wars? Guys like Col Burton and Col Boyd are long gone. Therefore we have the current military procurement mess that we have.
As far as the F-35, I was reading Combat Monthly a couple months ago. They had a story on USAF ANG units. These F-15 guys were basically saying their aircraft would have no problem dispatching an F-35. Pretty sad when a 40+ year old design is better than our latest fighter.
It alway seemed like a better deal to me.I'm going to quibble a bit with you, Jay. Part of showing the world that we are THE superpower, and a country which strives for good, is to have an impressive presence. The 747-800 should fit the bill, nicely.
Remember, too, that it will serve not only Mr. Obama, but a few presidents to come, as well.
It's interesting to me that everyone says the F-35 sucks, yet all over the world countries are lining up to buy it.
It's not like the F-35 is the only high tech fighter on the market, yet Lockheed seems to be selling plenty of F-35s.
Could it be that current Air Force leaders all over the world know something that isn't obvious to the peanut gallery?
Do you fly the 35? F15? F16?
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I'd prefer to be in an Eagle in every circumstance imaginable apart from hanging out in a double digit SAM MEZ. I would rather be not in any airplane in that case but if I had to, I'd take a 35 then.
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The best real world data I can tell you about an F15 vs an F35 is from the multiple sorties I've flown in my F15 vs the F35. In my experience you couldn't be more wrong. But hey, maybe I just dreamed it?
Didn't the F-4 guys say the same thing and they didn't have the twenty years in the airframe that you have in yours. Not saying you're wrong, just saying there is an experience in type disadvantage here.
I'd have assumed the F-35 could find you and pink you before you could reciprocate...
Didn't the F-4 guys say the same thing and they didn't have the twenty years in the airframe that you have in yours. Not saying you're wrong, just saying there is an experience in type disadvantage here.
The 22 is a different story. That is our "replacement" and is a similar comparison to F4 vs F15.
The 35 will get better I'm sure, although I seriously doubt it will live up to the hype. As a taxpayer I hope I'm wrong.
It will never be any good at visual range stuff and I guess that's ok for us since we have the 22 in theory.
I don't see why not, stealth isn't all that effective for that roll, visual rules favors horsepower and maneuverability. I guess the Navy is going to use the F-35 as a Stealth Bomber and ELINT platform, with the Marines flying them for bombing and CAS.
The Marines are jazzed about a replacement for the Harrier. They get to keep their short deck carriers because of it.
The Navy guys I know aren't excited about flying a single engine in combat and/or blue water ops. Not to mention all the ordinance they can't haul... Or a gun.
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The Marines are jazzed about a replacement for the Harrier. They get to keep their short deck carriers because of it.
The Navy guys I know aren't excited about flying a single engine in combat and/or blue water ops. Not to mention all the ordinance they can't haul... Or a gun.
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Absolutely! Again, I'm right with you. We have all sacrificed real capability at the alter of having a "joint" fighter which is anything but. Different engines, wings, capes, gear and much more for each service. We now will have a jet that sorta looks like the ones our other services have but we can't share most parts and the jets don't fully fulfill the requirements of any service. Awesome.
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Absolutely! Again, I'm right with you. We have all sacrificed real capability at the alter of having a "joint" fighter which is anything but. Different engines, wings, capes, gear and much more for each service. We now will have a jet that sorta looks like the ones our other services have but we can't share most parts and the jets don't fully fulfill the requirements of any service. Awesome.
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I've decided this is the SOP for funding.
Politicians announce joint aircraft to "save money".
Joint aircraft goes hideously over budget and everyone mostly hates it except one branch.
Other branches scream bloody murder.
Politicians quickly authorize money to "fix the problem". Especially if one of the original bidders that lost on the first bid is waiting in the wings (pun intended!) to sell to the biggest butthurt branch.
Multiple aircraft are born.
Wash rinse repeat.
It's how you got the Eagle after all.
Amazing thread drift. I think AF1 should be a single seater and our president should be a pilot... There, back on topic.




..Amazing thread drift. I think AF1 should be a single seater and our president should be a pilot... There, back on topic.
With Pedals instead of an engine and brightly colored ribbons that protrude from the handlebar grips, along with a sweet little bell. ring...ring...ring
........Don't forget the ASHTRAY...............
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huh? Aren't you thinking of the F-111 and F-14? I didn't think the F-15 had any real relationship to a joint program.