Video of JSF hovering
- Thread starter danmand
- Start date
While VTOL fighters like the Harrier were around in the 80's you most certainly didn't see this STOVL stealth aircraft flying then. The X-35 demonstrator first flew in 2000 but the F-35 didn't fly until 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-35_Lightning_II
It's a cool fighter, but I just have to throw this out there:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/10/15/317309/us-defence-policy-and-f-35-under-attack.html
RAND thinks that the Chinese could defeat the F-35 in the Taiwan straights.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/10/15/317309/us-defence-policy-and-f-35-under-attack.html
RAND thinks that the Chinese could defeat the F-35 in the Taiwan straights.
After the report was leaked RAND went on to deny it (see the article) so who knows.RAND said:
Rand didn't just deny it, they were quite forceful in doing so.
Further there are a number of assumptions which are based upon rather flimsy suppositions in the supposed report.
Another point, the F-35 is a strike fighter (to use different terminology a fighter-bomber) while the F-22 is an air superiority fighter.
Let me correct you: The danish airforce is not royal, although Wiki claims it to be. I have NEVER
heard anyone in Denmark refer to it as anything else than Flyvevaabnet, i.e the danish airforce.
And the danish government has second thoughts after the price of JWSF has more than doubled.
Maybe they can only afford 6 instead of 12.
Given that you are Danish and I am not, I give credence to your superior local knowledge, however as you probably know NATO refers to it in English as the RDAF.
Furthermore, for a good many more years the F-16 will remain an excellent combat aircraft so I'm not upset as to whether the RDAF purchases the JSF or not.
Yes, but for me the more important factor are the assumptions in the report, which are based upon rather flimsy suppositions.
What was only six F-22's on CAP at any time based upon? What were the air refueling orbits west of the island of Taiwan based upon? What was no support from other US fighter aircraft or from the ROCAF based upon?
The danes are reportedly worried about nailing the requirements for the new fighters, because they expect to have
much more to do in Greenland, and at the same time expect expeditions to deserts. Pretty tough to reconcile arctic and
desert environmental requirements. Not to mention the foggy, rainy climate in denmark.
The decision was thought to be between Gripen and JSF, but lately there have been rumors that
the defense department will chose the Super Hornet instead. There is too much uncertainty
about delivery times and price of the JSF.
Presumably they would refuel West of Taiwan so that they could maintain operations over China, and presumably the number six is based on an analysis of the capacity of a carrier to launch planes. There would no doubt be more than six, but only six capable of engaging the enemy at any given time. The rest would be rotating in and out of service.
We will never settle this debate, because the information required to settle it is all classified. All we have to go on in a leaked document that was critical of the JSF, followed by the de riguer denials. We will not be given access to the detailed analysis that went into preparing that document, nor to the specific capabilities of the JSF or its logistical support. All that information will be kept classified.
The point is this plane would fly circles around the Harrier, so you didn't see it in the 80's
