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MAKO69

Pilot says F-35 can dogfight

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Hmmm not a fan of the F-35, yes it has some good features, the weapon system etc. is second to none, however the Aircraft is a bit of a Frankenstein, as it doesnt seem to really do any job brilliantly. as for close in knife fighting, against a Russian aircraft, I think it would lose ......lots. beside which it one ugly S.O.B. and the old pilots adage of  "if it looks right, it flies right" certainly doesn't apply to this overpriced, and over complicated piece of junk.......And god help us, the RAF has them....oh joy. 

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Of course the F-35 can dogfight, but so can the F-4. Their performance characteristics are very similar. But against Su-27 and MiG-29 in a WVR situation, they will lose against even average pilots unless. The F-35 wasn't built to dogfight, but to rely on stealth to deliver bombs without facing air-to-air threats head on. If modern radars or other sensors render the F-35's stealth worthless, you end up with an F-4. Which will still get the job done, but with unacceptable losses by modern standards.

 

Now suppose you simply continue to use the much superior WVR dogfighter F-16 instead of buying the F-35. In low intensity conflicts, the F-16 works great, and if one goes down to AAA/golden BB, it costs a whole lot less to lose on. In an all-out WW3 scenario, if the F-35's stealth works as well as the brochure claims, it will fly a whole lot more sorties before being shot down than any F-16... but it needs too since there will be a lot less of them due to cost. But if stealth fails to work as advertised,  you will have high losses and not enough aircraft available to replace them and no money left to buy more.

 

Stealth has always seemed more costly than its benefits to me. If modern sensors can see them at 40 miles, the money and performance lost to making a fighter or bomber stealthy is wasted.

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Not when the unstealthy planes are seen and shot down at 200 miles by SAMs.

 

There is literally no realistic scenario where enemy ADA is nonexistent but enemy fighters are a threat unless you're talking about an invasion of a western country. Any discussion of fighter vs fighter without taking enemy ADA into account is a fruitless exercise.

Edited by JediMaster

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 Norwegian test pilot has indirectly refuted the test pilot that said the F-35 cant dogfight

 

 

 

The original article from Hanche is here (scroll down for the English version)

 

http://nettsteder.regjeringen.no/kampfly/2016/03/01/f-35-i-naerkamp-hva-har-jeg-laert-sa-langt-the-f-35-in-a-dogfight-what-have-i-learned-so-far/

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in my humble opinion based on a lot of research, reading and my knowledge on the topic  F-35 was create in mind for a modern warfare battlefield Dogfight are rare in close quarter they dont need to go close, pilot can chose his best way of action having a complete picture of scenario like when whe fly "in a sim".close dogfight are the last choice for a pilot, they can use aim120 amraam to take targets long way before they get on harmways, IRIS-T is good  but not the best choice at long range when you have Radar Guided, AESA is superior an migs and Sukhoi just dream to have it. F-35 have maneuveability new tech electronics and stealth, when its not on first day invading envelope the can have pilont with a lot of ordenance and fuel for stay on station long time. the research cost arent production costs, the plane are relative cheap and open to integrate new technology, yes i love A-10,F-14,F-15, F-18 and F-16 but technology have to grow. im just waiting for the 6 gen "Boeing badass new fighter"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtZNBkKdO5U

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyHlp7tJrxY

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31oJIo8EVwY

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s7-3EUXC_w

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