U.K. May Upgrade Harrier To Extend Life Beyond 2020

and it doesnt look like you can viff in a F-35 either

Thats right, one thing the Harrier does very well that the F-35 will be completely unable to match.

Its odd how with the VIFFing capable Raptor and Flankers now becoming more common (and their fanboys banging on about it as if they invented it) TVC has been an integral part of Harrier ops for decades and we are losing that capability, barring Typhoon upgrades of course.

Refering to Westpoint23's comment on the harrier, the reason so many pilots in the marines, crashed, was due to bad training, pilot error.

This was even admitted by the US! Sorry don't have an actual quote.

But yes, the harrier can be dangerous, in the wrong hands!!!

Originally posted by RichardPrice

The F-35 is likely to have its own problems tho - that highspeed driveshaft and the rear shift nozel is likely to prove a bitch to work on for the engineers, and it doesnt look like you can viff in a F-35 either.

Lets not forget the gyroscopic moment that that big a$$ fan is going to have right on the center of gravity. That is going to have one hell of a effect on your flight controls at slow speed and in the hover. A helicopter has its tail rotor and if I'm right they are going to try to counteract this with ducted air.