Pilot says F35 CAN'T dogfight!

a reply to: cavtrooper7

Of course I am probably wrong as usual, but wasn't the F-35 meant to be a ground attack aircraft and not a dogfighter ?

medium.com...

a reply to: nelloh62

Yes. The problem is that non-US allies who are buying the F-35 (and can't get the -22) expected it to be pretty damn good at A2A, just the way the F-16 is, but with more stealth.

Now they'll have to buy Eurofighter which is excellent non-stealth A2A and have twice the supply chains.

a reply to: mbkennel

I think the main reason is the drop that makes Russia of its fifth-generation aircraft.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Exactly. It doesn't really matter what people on the internet think, especially when it comes to military hardware.

The average person simply cannot understand modern warfare as they have lived in a bubble of ignorance, and safety their whole lives.

Honestly though, when has dogfighting ever been a real major factor in any war? I think people are mixing up the movie Top Gun with real life. Besides, any future dogfighting will be done with UAV's as they have the capability to perform maneuvers no human being could withstand.

a reply to: Danke

There were a few during Desert Storm, but the last real dogfighting war was Vietnam.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Danke

There were a few during Desert Storm, but the last real dogfighting war was Vietnam.

What will happen is anyone's guess when and if the next conflict (war) occurs and the enemy are not under equipped as Iraq or Afghanistan were at that time.

Since Vietnam the US and allies have not faced off with any air force capable of nothing but defensive measures. Somewhere in this world right now a few countries are cranking out quality aircraft in huge numbers. If you start getting swarmed by 30 Migs at a time things might get tense.

Just my thoughts and open to correction.
Regards, Iwinder

a reply to: Iwinder

The F-35, and any other bomb truck doesn't operate alone. They have EW, and air to air escorts with them on the Strike.

Isn't dogfighting obsolete? I've never understood why they don't have guns, missiles etc. so they can lock on an enemy target trailing them.

a reply to: nelloh62

Multirole fighter.
Only the A-10 is a dedicated CAS platform in the inventory other than the AC130.
That's why the airfoce wants to dump it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Twenty38

The Hornet has its own issues.

Is there such a thing as the perfect fighter jet? And if so, do the allies make it?

a reply to: Twenty38

Under certain loadouts the Hornet has a 250 nm combat radius. The Super Hornet increases that to something like 325 nm by adding 33% more fuel capacity.

An F-16 can carry a similar load with a 600 nm combat radius, despite being smaller. If you want close to perfect, build a dedicated platform, not Multirole.

This report is as accurate as claiming a great white shark is useless as it can't climb mount Everest.

I bow down to Zaphods expertise but from what common rumour from engineers in the UK is the plane makes others look stoneage, said through gritted teeth as these guys helped design harrier.

a reply to: bastion

When it comes to avionics and sensor suites, everything else is stone age. Even the F-22.

a reply to: Sammamishman

The more reading I do, the more prevalent that opinion seems to get.

The newer the article, the more enthusiastic they seem to be.

Given the money spent, I sure hope so.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

Yep. If it ain't supersonic, the fighter mafia doesn't want it.

originally posted by: seagull
I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a fan of the F35. Too much money for an aircraft that is trying to be too many things to too many missions.

But it was never meant to be a dog fighter. That's the F22's job.

MHO, of course.

SO what Plane will dog fight for the Navy...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Danke

There were a few during Desert Storm, but the last real dogfighting war was Vietnam.

Don't forget us Brits in the Falklands:

the mighty SHAR

The Harrier was beating Mirage III IN dogfights, don't know much about comparison of the airframes but a U.S. marine expeditionary force or UK navy task force, dogfighting is a real possibility.

originally posted by: Xeven

originally posted by: seagull
I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a fan of the F35. Too much money for an aircraft that is trying to be too many things to too many missions.

But it was never meant to be a dog fighter. That's the F22's job.

MHO, of course.

SO what Plane will dog fight for the Navy...

im sure superior tactics could outweigh some concerns ofer its AOA, whilst the first F35 is in a turn, the 2 other invisible jets are locked up with sidewinders on the guy chasing the first f35.

originally posted by: Forensick
the 2 other invisible jets are locked up with sidewinders on the guy chasing the first f35.

You know what, if the F35 is already in the twisty turneys with the bad guy I wouldn't want a sidewinder fired from aways away, might hit my plane!