While I am not a big fan of the F-35 , I can ‘t understand why there are three versions of the aircraft .
Here is what I humbly think :
-1) the F-35A is not needed . There is a better solution .
-2) the F-35B is an heresy . Call me a “Prophet of the Doom” if you want , but the thing will never work and if it does , it is going to be **** poor .
-3) the F-35C IS the real F-35 and looks promising . The USN has it right , clever chaps 🙂
No one here will deny the fact that the USN are the people to talk to when you need to know something about aircraft carriers . You could also ask to the French .
The UK followed a different path with some good results and the actual Russian carrier(s) are only juicy targets .
The rest of the World is trying to learn about carrier design and operational use .
If the USN wants the F-35C , it is because they believe that the aircraft will fit the job and the bill . They will also be the sole user (again , clever chaps ;)) .
The people who believed in the A version will get something disappointing the first 3 years , then things will go better .
The people who believed in the B version will not get anything (or a dog) .
Why 3 versions of the F-35 ???:confused:
The USA should have done something similar than the French did with the Rafale : a single aircraft to fit all possible missions , then adapt it to carrier use from the blue print .
When we think about the US know-how , it would have been a rather easy task , even if you include the Stealth factor .
As many ~and I~ see it , the entire F-35 program is a “trojan horse” aimed at :
-1) destroying the European military aircraft industry
-2) make others pay for the F-35C
It was probably not the idea in the first place but soon , the people behind the program “crunched political and dollar numbers” and ended up with what we know .
What was originally a rather simple program became a trojan horse .
As a French man , I can be both impartial AND partial : we don ‘t intend to use the aircraft .
But the European Nations who paid hard money for it (the F-35) , I have the right to blame them . It was unwise to say the least .
The F-35A will be a stealthy poor bomber and poor interceptor and with external stores , it will behave just a bit better than a F-16Blk60 (which is not in use in the USAF) .
The F-35B will never work in a satisfying manner and is going to be the nightmare of every Naval mechanics .
To be honest , I would have bet on the Royal Navy to spit at the B version (with some nice English insults :D) and tell the US to f…. you know what I mean 😉
(we could have 4 real carriers with some kind of Trafales (Tornado , Rafale , Trafalgar , etc , lol), built exclusively for the RN and the MN who could share missions and capabilities , today .
I am telling you that against the future threats (North-Korea-China , Iran) , it would be a formidable force , better than what we ‘ll have in 2012 🙁
You should understand by now that I am for a powerful Europe rather than for a powerful Dassault . Sure , I praise our engineers but the goal is to make Europe independant and strong , France counts on it more than anybody else in Europe . It is not about being against the USA , it is about being able to scare everybody enough to stay in Peace for as long as we want .
That ‘s Europe ‘s goal .
I sign for it .
Cheers .
I totaly agree!!!!!!!! “B” flies in the face of K.I.S.S.
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