F-35 does what aircraft have been doing since 1910
Somehow, because it cost a gazillion dollars, landing an F35 Joint Strike Fighter on the USS Nimitz, it’s called “landmark” according to AFP;
“Today is a landmark event in the development of the F-35C,” said test pilot Commander Tony Wilson.
The landing is part of flight testing at sea that will last for about two weeks, and will help pave the way to deploy the aircraft in the naval fleet by 2018, officials said.
“We plan on learning a lot during this developmental test and will use that knowledge to make the naval variant of the F-35 an even more effective weapons platform,” Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, head of the F-35 program, said in a statement.
Watch the landmark moment at the link above.
Thanks to David for the link.
Category: Navy
Cancel this anchor tethered around our neck.
What will they learn? That this overpriced, underpowered, basically-unarmed boat anchor costs 3 billion dollars every time it lands on a carrier (more if it breaks) and that, for all the money sunk into it, it can’t withstand saltwater corrosion?
Not a real big fan of a single engine (Strike?)Fighter for blue water ops…let alone the amount of flying time it takes to get to WAY inland targets like Afghanistan.
Not to mention the whopping 182 rounds of 25mm that is supposed to replace the ground support capability of the A-10….how many passes do you suppose this faster than mach airframe will produce with that huge ammo load? Two? Wow, no wonder they are retiring the A-10 for this airframe, the ability to linger for 30 seconds on a ground support mission will be truly refreshing for those infantry troops lucky enough to get this aircraft overhead.
With the Navy version costing over 300 million each less than 15 aircraft will cost the same as keeping the entire A-10 program afloat.
This is also the same aircraft that Winslow Wheeler felt was flawed beyond redemption last year for the following reasons after being in development for 14 years:
Veritas Omnia Vincit…Everything about this platform for conception till now is a disaster. From Wikipedia:
On 27 January 2014, General Mike Hostage also commented that the F-35 would be “irrelevant” without the F-22 fleet being viable as the F-35 was not an air superiority fighter.
Great the end all be all isn’t really a fighter. So I guess they need to change the name from “Joint Strike Fighter” to “Joint Strike and some other stuff we’re not sure about”.
There is a precedent – th F117 was called a “STEALTH fighter” and would have sucked serious wind trying to fight a Fokker triplane. (Slight exaggeration, but…)
Meanwhile…in other “aircraft news”. The A-10 is…off. Wait it’s on again, no, hold the phone, it’s off again. Cost overruns on the F-35 thus far would more than cover the future costs of the A-10. Additionally the GAO estimated the operating costs of the F-35 to be 79% higher than the aircraft is was designed to replace. Plus they’re down to ONLY $116 million each for the C version…engines not included. But I’m sure Lockheed will toss in all the AA batteries it might need, first ones included free, replacement AA’s will run $132.63 each. After all, they have to pass the military “gold plating” tests and process. No 6 pack of Energizer Bunny AA’s for $6.95 for this baby.
That 116 is the airframe, with all the toys attached they expect the initial runs to cost closer to 340 million per unit for the Navy version..
Well, we know it can fly, land, stop, and turn.
But……CAN IT JUGGLE????????
“They’re mighty pretty Colonel – but can they fight?”
– Donald Sutherland, Dirty Dozen. 😉
Great… the ginsu knives of aircraft. What perks are the manufacturers throwing in? The F-35 Joint strike can opener? The F-35 Joint Strike keychain? I’d rather have the F-35 Joint Strike Splatterscreen for all the bullshit they keep using to justify this abortion of a project.
Order in the next 10 minutes and we’ll double your order…just shipping and handling.
But will it cut a tin can and a lead pipe?
So we’re kicking out tens of thousands of service members without remorse, but we’re keeping this piece of shit that doesn’t do what its supposed to. Sounds like a typical government contract to me.
“It would be more costly to cut the program than if we just keep using it so I’ve been told by consultants somewhere on the internet, so that’s why we still use it.”
Our government at its finest. Pissing money away and rewarding cronies with contracts for shitty/sub-par work. I wonder who the head of Lockheed has been blowing at the Defense Department all these years.
Back in the day, early 70s a similar product from Lockheed. The illfated Cheyenne attack helicopter. The government spent a ton on this. Never went into production.
The Bradly fighting Vehicle of the air.
Naw,Buddy,more like the M561 Gamma Goat of the air. (Smile)
Maybe the Sergeant York?
I thought the F-22 was THE beast? It was finally used it seems. Linky: http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/23/politics/f22-plane-isis/
A-10? Nah. Manly Man Chair Force fighter community rank it on the food chain under Trash Haulers and Helo’s.
Nah mate, we’re all bitching about the F-35 too. Gen. Hostage used to be my MAJCOM’s commander until a few weeks ago.