There is no doubt an F-35A (free of constrains posed by commonality) would have been longer. I’m not sold on your theory that the wing would have been larger, that would have a cascade effect on design. I do think wingtips would be shaped differently, probably adding some area. The wing shape is very similar to the YF-22’s with reduced sweep. The F-35C certainly shows why simply adding wing area isn’t ideal from a performance standpoint.

Anyway it is what it is. The users are happy with the current performance, oddly in spite of forum commentary and YouTube analysis.

…and for probably at least the 10,000th time… the F-35 was never intended to deliver some new standard of aerodynamic performance. All of the research, studies, and modeling indicated that extreme maneuverability wouldn’t result in a great leap in combat effectiveness in a world with advanced air to air missiles, and that the added cost and complexity that would be required to achieve some new standard of maneuverability just wasn’t worth it.

The F-35 always prioritized stealth, sensors, and networking and accepted merely “good” kinematic performance to keep costs reasonable.

The airframes of the three variants are largely common, but more importantly their sensors, software, datalinks, etc, are essentially 100% common. (and this is where the large majority of the complexity of a modern fighter resides)

I don’t agree with Bayars but JSR posts are more or less wasting forum bandwidth

I think having the two of them going after each other is probably the best possible outcome.

Says who.. the Fitter pilot wont be around to tell his story would he?

:stupid:

Do you really think they just shot him down out of the blue?

Turn off RT for a little while and get some fresh air.

I am actually very surprised that the Fitter pilot had the chance to even apply counterneasures. Given the horrible Situation Awareness of a Fitter..

Well, he was warned several times.

Russia’s Tu-160M2 Bomber More Advanced Than Anything Pentagon Has In Its Arsenal

Sputnik…

So which side of the fence are you on hopsalot? I didn’t see you condemn the US intervention in Syria so why comment on Turkey’s intervention in Iraq?

Or is that the real meaning of your nickname? Hopping over the fence all the time as you see fit?

I have never been a fan of the US involvement in Syria. I am pretty sure I have said that over the years.

I am just pointing out the obvious hypocrisy of Bayar getting all bent out of shape about the US being involved in Syria while defending doing the exact same thing in Iraq.

Well I think we have had some kind of breakthrough recently… even MSphere has gone silent?

I don’t think it is voluntary. He went on a tirade a little while back (his usual, calling the F-35 a fat cow, etc) … and then he disappeared along with the posts.

Between his disappearance and Obligatory’s things have been better. More substantive discussions without so much idiocy.

Whew, haven’t posted in years but have been lurking this thread. Despite what people on here and otherwise seem to think, LM is pretty good when comes to FCS and aero design. All this talk about it being a flying brick reminds me of those idiotic threads 10 years ago about the F-22 not being able to do a Cobra and getting shot down in dogfights by Super Flankers with plasma stealth. The F-35 isn’t perfect but it looks like it can get out of its own way. That pedal turn was pretty damn impressive for a non-TVC fighter.

Should be very comparable to the 4/4.5 gen fighters in the kinematics aspect which is undoubtedly the weakest part of the package.

Well that was always one of the puzzling aspects of the whole “debate,” that people here were insisting in effect that the designers at LM were a bunch of idiots that were creating a “flying brick.” This is the same company that has produced several of aviation history’s most successful and innovative designs, but they suddenly just forgot everything they know?