[QUOTE=Y-20 Bacon;2040840]

if the JSF was split into two programs..
the Air force/navy version would look like this

Really? That’s already build.

this is the Marine version of the F-35. :highly_amused:

It was an interceptor. Top speed was Mach 2.1

But infact it wasn’t proven, but proven as an interceptor. It was never used in combat, had no kills. Only retired by Ukraine in 1996. But it’s still in use for Soviet Air Defences.

Doesn’t the speciality all depend on which squadron the jet is from with some Viper or Hornet squadrons being more A-A or A-G oriented than others.

Check where the squadron was used more during the conflicts. I don’t remember significantly, about the F-16 that’s more A-A or A-G widely used. But the F-16’s based on Alaska are used widely for patrolling and ANG. The Camo F-16’s are for training students on dogfighting.

While i can remember the F/A-18 squadrons that we’re used in A-A and A-G widely during the conflicts.

VFA-103 were battling in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, they were tasked on dropping bombs. VFA-103 Jolly Rogers is more A-G squadron. Some are A-A squadrons basically tasked on Patroling areas and sometimes are ordered to carry bombs.
For their outstanding performance on this deployment, VFA-103 was awarded the AIRLANT Battle “E” for both 2006 & 2007, as well as the Wade McClusky Award as the best Attack Squadron in the US Navy for 2007.

Thus, VFA-102 is more A-A squadron with the Super Hornet. I’ve never seen them carry bombs, but they mostly use the Super Hornet for A2A and Patroling the skies if there emerging enemy threats. VFA-102 Diamondbacks were only deployed only on Operation Enduring Freedom by the 2000’s.
In March 2008, VFA-102 was named the Pacific Fleet Battle “E” award winner for the calendar year of 2007. This award recognizes the Diamondback supremacy in battle efficiency amongst all F/A-18E/F squadrons in the Pacific Fleet. In March 2010, the Diamondbacks were again honored with the Pacific Fleet Battle “E”.

What yesterday’s war?

2012-2000

I’d have to agree, the guys a really awful salesman. He promotes his product by saying it’s a fair bit better than old 4th gen fighters but is 90% worse than 5th gen fighters! Then again I doubt he’s too worried about it thesedays considering he’s got an Av-Week journalist doing his marketing for him.

Why is he making up that its a 5th Gen fighter? It’s a 4th++ gen fighter and it isn’t made up for stealth. Guess he’s the one in charge of interviewing the salesmens to make up things to trick the people into buying the SU-35. It’s not a 5th gen fighter, it’s from the original SU-27 design made into new enhancements. All there is to the SU-35 is longer range, newer engines, Aerodynamic enhancements for better maneuverability, newer engines, and enhance avionics. If it were 5th gen, then why isn’t the SU-35 made for stealth and lower RCS?

Well the F-35A can’t operate from carriers, so this plan would entail both the USAF and USN using the the C model, resulting in the USAF getting less airframes (higher cost), and lower overall performance. (slower acceleration/G loading) Unless the USMC went with an aircraft much more akin to the AV-8B, there’d hardly be any cost savings realized.

F-35C can’t land on carriers there for has a 7.1 hook distance.But Lockmart can fix this issue

USAF and USN F-35’s are mostly a “Jack Of All Trades” master of none. The F-35 may not be a good air superiority fighter as how the F/A-18 and F-16 performed, it may not be the CAS platform the A-10 was. But the F-35 is serving as the better “Bomb Truck” with perfect bomb payload and range. Great avionics and situational awareness in Ground Attack.
But it’s serving well with the AV-8B replacement which is a master of a trade.

I agree it has lower speed, acceleration and T/W Ratio. But the USN version is worse with the lower T/W Ratio.

USN F-35 T/W Ratio
With 50% of fuel = 0.91
with full fuel is 0.75

USMC T/W Ratio
Full Fuel=0.90
50%f uel=1.04

USAF T/W Ratio
Full Fuel=0.87
50% Fuel=1.07

As you see it may not be the best air-to-air performer out there but still capable in BVR. In WVR, we’ll leave it up to the real pilots who fly it, or when deployed in a exercise. But although the F-35 is a great bomb truck.

J-17 has DSI folks. Now please enough with the “VS” threads. :dev2: