Aerosoft Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558 Posted June 17, 2014 Aerosoft Share Posted June 17, 2014 http://sploid.gizmodo.com/the-designer-of-the-f-16-explains-why-the-f-35-is-such-1591828468/+caseychan This guy knows what he talks about. Not saying he is right in al aspects but he knows aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPJavelin 18 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I guess Mr. Sprey is no more an employee of Lockheed Martin at this time. Would be interesting to know from who he gets paid now, if he is still in age of working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerosoft Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558 Posted June 17, 2014 Author Aerosoft Share Posted June 17, 2014 I guess Mr. Sprey is no more an employee of Lockheed Martin at this time. Would be interesting to know from who he gets paid now, if he is still in age of working. Well, say what you want, so far proof is on his side. Last Thursday all F35 were grounded again (the 22th time) because of a fuel leak. Three of the 115 airframes had the problem. The aircraft is is also double as expensive as planned and still not able to match the specifications. It is many months, if not years, from being combat ready. Just look at the way the marines and army responded when the A10 was (for the fourth time!!) scheduled to be phased out in April. Both marines and army had no big problem as long as there was a good replacement. Right now there is none and the A10 probably will stay along. Without a radar, without stealth, without FADEC and probably not even electric windows and a cup holder. But any enemy knows to dig deep holes when a Warthog is around. Iraqi tank crews just left their tanks when the even heard the rumor one was in the area. They say on a dune close by and watched their tank being scrapped with a few $74 shells (in contrast to $20k missile). A country like The Netherlands was supposed to be flying a few squadrons of F-35s by now but they only got two demonstrators. Even with all the 'normal' teething problems of a complex new airframe, things simply do not look good. And yet the project is too big to fail. That is scary. Even more telling, prices of second hand F-16's have doubled in the last two years! It's another Osprey project. Nobody really felt helicopters were outdated yet that development was pushed on and on and on. Now they are in service (just a fraction of the intended numbers) and no other country wants them. They all want Chinooks because those work fine, cost a lot less and are far more reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helifan123 200 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Well, I can see at least a sense in the CV-22 Ospreys while I don't see any in the F-35. Yeah, they need a new fighter jet, but not such one. The CV-22 is totally different from other helicopters (well, it's not even a real helicopter) but definitely represents a great special operations platform. Yet there weren't the chance to show what they can. But remember operation Eagle Claw (Iran hostage crisis) which failed because they wanted to use C-130s and CH-53s together. The Osprey is what they would have needed this time. Actually, engineers even installed rockets for short takeoff and landing on the C-130 so it would have been able to land in a football stadium (which was planned, but the hostages were released before Operation Credible Sport took place). btw: the A10 got electric windows and modern avionics in the cockpit. They can use almost every type of precision guided ammunition in the USAF arsenal. From unguided bombs to rockets, AGM-65 Maverick missiles, 500lbs, 1000lbs and 2000lbs GPS or laser guided bombs. And do not forget the Litening Targeting pod. This a/c is a killing machine and can carry a bunch of deathly payload. Won't meet this one in combat when fighting for the red forces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripcord 166 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Sounds like a new version of Windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesrob 37 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Simple is best. Aeroplanes often get so complex they end up chasing their tails and never reach a satisfactory state when everybody is happy with them. The RAF and Royal Navy had their Harriers confiscated with no notice with the promise of F35s. And now they have nothing. What do politicians know about aviation? Nothing. Our (UK) military chiefs have a lot to say about this off the record, and when they retire we hear their opinions, and they are pretty damning. Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helifan123 200 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Yeah, it's basically always the same with defense projects. The requirements are changed a thousand times and in the end you have something which is great but is not able to what it should. Like the Tiger helicopter. The german version is great for Anti-Tank-Operations, but absolutely unsuitable when engaging insurgents an Afghanistan as there's no real cannon as in the French models or in the Apache. So we got Gunpods (oh yeah). I mean, what should you do when there's an insurgent hiding in a village? You really can't fire a HOT Anti Tank Missile and burning down the whole area. Rocket's aren't better at all... But yeah, we still have the 12,5mm gunpods instead of a 30mm cannon coupled with the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickZ 300 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Normally I try to keep my hobby and my political opinion seperated, but in this case I think I can speak my mind. I think it was a very stupid decision of our government to choose this aircraft. But don't blame me, I voted for a party that ended up in the opposition. There were many other options available, but they simply didn't want to hear about them. If it would be up to me, we'd cancel our orders for this aircraft today and order something else. Something that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Chief Pilot 829 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Is military supply about winning wars or rather about sucking up the taxpayers' money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerosoft Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558 Posted June 18, 2014 Author Aerosoft Share Posted June 18, 2014 The CV-22 is totally different from other helicopters (well, it's not even a real helicopter) but definitely represents a great special operations platform. Yet there weren't the chance to show what they can. But remember operation Eagle Claw (Iran hostage crisis) which failed because they wanted to use C-130s and CH-53s together. The Osprey is what they would have needed this time. Actually, engineers even installed rockets for short takeoff and landing on the C-130 so it would have been able to land in a football stadium (which was planned, but the hostages were released before Operation Credible Sport took place). But a project that started in 1981 and with the first operational aircraft in 2007 clearly shows major problems. My point is that the F-35 is showing the same signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deputy Sheriffs jrotaetxe 242 Posted June 18, 2014 Deputy Sheriffs Share Posted June 18, 2014 ... and leaving in the road those who bet US Marines would have enough weight to avoid STOL version to be abandoned... Now, baby carriers owners must i) Make some kind of vodoo with the old venerable Harriers (what a good plane, being "bad" in almost everything. Hope "Jet Thunder" makes justice with her) ii) Refit their "LHA's" to be LHA's F35 program is an study case of what a goverment should do in the defense aircraft planning matter. EF2000 is another, but at least seems to be flying (and is not an example for anything). Talking specifically about Spain, seems that F-18 program is going to be the winner in well negotiated and investment returning program, even with some obscure aspects not perfectly known in Spain... In my view, is a pity UE (and when I say UE, I mean UE as a whole) being unable to define a joint fighter. At least, the Rafale is a BEAUTIFUL plane, and seems it is filling the expectations (but the commercial success and with the "Damocles" sword pending...). We'll always have Paris.... And in the V-22 area, Eurocopter's proposal around X-3 can be a less risky bet (Is clear is not the same, but coud be improved perhaps to a "chinook" thing. If we let BMW name her, could be the Eurocopter X-7...) Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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