USAF $397.8 billion dollar cock up

[asherrockhome]

www.trtworld.com/magazine/us-admits-f-35-failed-to-replace-f-16-as-planned-needs-new-fighter-jet-44483

so it seems the F-35 isn't all its cracked up to be, with multiple bugs, a touch screen with a 80% chance of working. The fifth generation aircraft that is both ahead of its time and miles behind failed to do the one thing it was built to do

[obiwan27]

An current F-35 pilot and former F16 driver has an alternative perspective. Understandably the USAF have a particular role in mind for the F-35, somewhat different from the originally envisaged 'F-16 replacement'.

[11SQNLDR]

Every modern fighter has its bugs, the F-111, Hornet amongst many others. The ignorance and hype from the keyboard critics was amusing a couple of years ago but now I'm finding it rather lame.

I've watched F-35 displays from the US, RAF & RAAF & spoken with aircrew and Lockheed Martin reps at RIAT and Avalon. I'm off the fence and onboard

[mcmaster]

Mmmm article saying the F35 is crap..how rare is that.
Firstly I read the original statement and my take is the USAF are saying the F35 is a premier fighter and they don’t want to wear it out doing everything. I'm reassured by the number of countries outside of the key partners (who have advanced F15s already) who have bought the F35. Israel, South Korea and Japan come to mind. Singapore also has them on order. Why would they jump in if it’s a total “cock up”.

However, if there is growing concern in the ADF, the proof of that will be the RAAF not exercising options for the additional 28 (to bring the fleet to 100). Beyond that, in this neck of the woods, I’d get used to them as they seem to be cranking out the sorties at Williamtown and the disposal of the Classics is going as planned.

[lesterpk]

If the RAAF don't take up the option I would think they'll keep the Supers and Growlers.

[madmac]

Many of the listed buyers of the F35 are in the S*** out of luck category and would preferred to buy the F22 or possibly the FB22 had it been built. Israel is to a large extent told what it can buy & they still want more F15s. Just because service personnel like it doesn't mean it will do the job required of it.

The F111 program once the carrier version was cancelled was "just" a material selection issue, which resulted in elevated operating costs for the rest of its service life and drove the development of a new engineering approach.


This does raise the possibly of an interesting thread else were, what's the most glowing report one can find of a useless aircraft (Battles and buffaloes could be a good place to start).