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David Axe, National Interest: The F-35 Stealth Fighter's Dirty Little Secret Is Now Out in the Open
The U.S. Senate just confirmed what an Air Force general hinted at in February 2016 — and which should have been obvious for years to close observers of U.S. air power.
The Joint Strike Fighter program is not developing one, common warplane for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and the air arms of America’s closest allies.
No, the Joint Strike Fighter is actually three different plane designs sharing a basic cockpit, engine and software and a logistical network. The Air Force’s F-35A, the Marines’ F-35B and the Navy’s F-35C should, in all fairness, be the F-35, F-36 and F-37.
“Despite aspirations for a joint aircraft, the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C are essentially three distinct aircraft, with significantly different missions and capability requirements,” the Senate stated in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2017.
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WNU Editor: I learn something new everyday ....
.... The Navy’s F-35C — which the sailing branch primarily touts as a stealthy sensor-platform — possesses a bigger wing to allow for low-speed carrier landings and suffers from greater drag than the F-35A does. It cost a staggering $330 million per jet in 2014.
Wow .... Pentagon officials and the media are always quoting the lower price tag of the F-35A .... not the other variants .... i.e. the cost for the F-35 is $330 million per copy.
4 comments:
Even worse, all F-35 variants built to date, all 131 aircraft, remain "prototypes" with a large array of structural changes, system installations, system upgrades and software upgrades yet to be performed, ( and some fixes arn't even invented yet).
Some of these "fixes" can be done at the User's bases, others, will require a complete tear down and rebuild at LockMarts facilities.
Wonder if putin wants to sell sell some flankers lol
I pray it has a trap door for the lasers..
I pray it has a trap door for the lasers..
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