SU 34 - T50 PAK FA - SU 35. Dutch Aviaiton
Dr. Mark B. Schneider, Real Clear Defense: The F-35 vs. the Russian Su-35 and the PAK FA
Implications for the Threat to NATO
The Russians are now developing new air dominance aircraft with a long-range strike capability -- the Su-35 and the Pak FA (frequently called the PAK T-50) – which will pose a significant threat to NATO Europe. The U.S. F-35, the only 5th generation aircraft in production today, is critical to countering these threats.
The F-35 has recently gotten bad publicity over its dogfighting capability despite the fact the last dogfight was in 1988. Since 1988, all air-to-air kills have been by missiles, a type of warfare in which the F-35 is designed to excel. The F-35 is a strike fighter with multirole capabilities, which makes sense because strike missions happen every day and stealth is necessary against advanced air defenses. While the Russian Su-35 and the PAK FA “stealth fighter” are both reportedly suffering from technical problems, the long-term threat is significant.
WNU Editor: A lot of optimistic predictions for the F-35 in this analysis .... but the author's assessment on the Russian T50 is probably correct.
No comments:
Post a Comment