F-35 to replace JASDF F-4Ejs

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

It's official.

 

F-35 Wins Japan Fighter Competition

[+Muesli 2,161]

[+SkateZilla 49]

in response to china's PAK-FA

[+Spillone104 553]

Hey Muesli, do you mean this one? No button

 

Anyway... what is the point of having a fighter that in flight performace is inferior to other 4 or 4.5 generation fighters and armed with 4 missiles or 2 missiles and 2 JDAM. I always being sceptic at best with the JSF.

Edited December 20, 2011 by Spillone104

[JediMaster 451]

On what do you base this statement? Other than it being slower in top speed than most fighters other than the Hornet, how is its performance inferior? It won't be seen regularly carrying a ton of external fuel tanks for one.

It can carry more missiles if it carries them externally, if stealth isn't as important. If it is important, it's stealthier than other gen 4/4.5 fighters, so how is that a problem?

 

How can a 5th gen fighter be inferior if by definition (of 5th gen) it has to be superior? Unless you want to weight such as variables as cost, where it's built, and its name as more important, that is.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Hey Muesli, do you mean this one? No button

 

Anyway... what is the point of having a fighter that in flight performace is inferior to other 4 or 4.5 generation fighters and armed with 4 missiles or 2 missiles and 2 JDAM. I always being sceptic at best with the JSF.

 

 

The F-35 is superior to all 4th Gen fighters - name another that can fly Mach 1.6 with a usable combat load?

 

Its agility seems to stack up to a clean FA-18 based on pilot quotes - if so thats pretty good

 

Acceleration - supposed to be clean block 50 F-16C

 

Actually beng designed as a stealth fighter means it is far more survivable than any legacy jet against a real Air Defence.

 

Against an enemy with no AD it can still carry a good external stores payload.

 

The A/C have very good combat radius / range - which they can fly clean in most cases.

 

Now add computing capability that other jets inclduing the F-22A can only dream of like EODAS to the mix and you have a pretty useful striker.

 

There are even 3 different versions for different roles.

Edited December 20, 2011 by MigBuster

[+SkateZilla 49]

Put another W in the Win Column of the F-35, in the F-35 vs F-22 debate.

[+Typhoid 231]

The F-35 was not in competition against the F-22 for this or any other fighter competition.

 

As noted already - the F-35 is a true 5th generation fighter. Nothing other than another 5th generation fighter will be comparable.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Sidestepping the "Who has a bigger wang" argument between the F-35 and F-22 for the moment, the JASDF F-4EJs are primarily tasked with anti-shipping and ground attack/CAS. It's OCA/DCA roles are only secondary. The F-35 can fit the role, but so does the Mitsubishi F-2. I'm interested to see how AGM-84s will fit into the weapons bays on the F-35, or how they plan on it being stealthy if they have to start loading the wings. If they have to, then what's the point? A few F-35 customers are currently pondering that. They could have reopened the F-2 production line (it was only closed in September) at minimal cost and F-2s rolling off the line immediately, rather than in about 8 or 9 years. And anyways, these arguments about the F-35 being inferior or superior to 4/4.5 gen aircraft is a moot point. The ATD-X will be up and flying in a couple of years and the JASDF will have a 5th gen platform in service by the end of the decade.

[JediMaster 451]

Reread the history of the F-2 and you might rethink that "end of the decade" prediction.

 

Harpoons are very long range, you don't need to get close to launch it. If you're NOT launching one, though, the F-35 can get a lot closer than any F-4 or F-16.

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

What realy is interesting about the F-35 discussion is, that other countries like israel, demand a two seat version.

 

Are there any plans for this?! We know only the A,B,C version the others are speculativ.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Reread the history of the F-2 and you might rethink that "end of the decade" prediction.

 

Well, you might be right, but this time around the US isn't trying to f*ck Japan like they did with the F-2, so I doubt it. Right now, there's nothing like the US/Japan trade deficit like there was in the late 80s/early 90s and it's an internal program anyways. I think they've learned their lessons about compromise in joint ventures. Although, with 10+ years of economic stagnation and now the Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi disaster, I'm surprised Japan's tackling it at all. You add into that equation that they aren't allowed to export military products and that's only going to make it that much harder for them to trim the costs associated with this.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Any ATX-D this side of 2025 and I will eat this desk - Japans only real 5th Gen Fighter will be the F-35 for now.

[+ST0RM 145]

Japan will most likely be the only place where we see them flying clean/stealthy. Other than the US training units of course. The jets has short legs. It needs a tanker. You add external tanks, your RCS goes up and you are now flying a REALLY expensive F-16.

 

-S

[JediMaster 451]

I think most countries looking at getting them have tankers, don't they? Israel probably won't need to, though, with a half tank I bet the F-35 could still circumnavigate that place 5 times.

 

However, I think it safe to say that if it's not "war time" most countries likely WILL have the tanks on for ease of use.

 

The difference is in a high threat environment the F-16 or Hornet can't just strip down to carrying 4 missiles and disappear to radars.

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

Wouldn`t be the best choice for japan to buy the PAK FA?! Its a stealth plane, cheaper than the F-35 Cashhole and could be upgraded with Israels Avionics and western weapons :)

 

Woohoo .. was it as step to far ...

Edited December 22, 2011 by 76.IAP-Blackbird

[macelena 1,070]

I allways thought of the EF2000 as the fighter the JASDF should have adquired.

 

However, they will more likely want an stealth long range interdictor to blow the crap out of anything on the asian continent. The only such aircraft (apart of the B-2) being developed seems to be on the wrong side of the East China Sea, as the Chengdu J-20 seems designed to fit that mission. (Just the other way around)

[+ST0RM 145]

I think most countries looking at getting them have tankers, don't they? Israel probably won't need to, though, with a half tank I bet the F-35 could still circumnavigate that place 5 times.

 

However, I think it safe to say that if it's not "war time" most countries likely WILL have the tanks on for ease of use.

 

The difference is in a high threat environment the F-16 or Hornet can't just strip down to carrying 4 missiles and disappear to radars.

 

No, actually they don't. The JASDF does have four KC-767s, as does Italy. But none of the other partners have their own.

 

Why buy a stealth jet that has to have external tanks? You can't train for stealth ops with them on. I'm just not getting the real pluses of the aircraft over Gen 4.

[bwild 5]

No, actually they don't. The JASDF does have four KC-767s, as does Italy. But none of the other partners have their own.

 

Why buy a stealth jet that has to have external tanks? You can't train for stealth ops with them on. I'm just not getting the real pluses of the aircraft over Gen 4.

 

The RNlAF has two KDC-10 actually.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Why buy a stealth jet that has to have external tanks? You can't train for stealth ops with them on. I'm just not getting the real pluses of the aircraft over Gen 4.

 

You seen how much fuel the single engine F-35s carry internally - you want more range then you will probably be looking to purchase B-2s!

 

 

You might find that Stealth also comes in handy for air defence as well - why let them know you are coming!

 

 

Gen 4 is obsolete - pretty sure when the F-22s wipe the floor with everything 4th Gen in training scenarios its not airframe or kinetic performance that's giving them the massive advantage.