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Old 07-08-09, 01:46 AM   #2
Kazuaki Shimazaki II
Ace of the Deep
 
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The problem is that the F-35 is starting to become Virginia to the F-22's Seawolf - reduced basic ability in hopes of being cheaper, but not a worthy actual decrease in price. This destroys the raison d etre for both.
The only real advantage a F-35 has as a bomb truck is slightly better internal bombload. 2 TWO thousand pound bombs internal vs 2 ONE thousand pounders. That ends the short list of its advantages, and what's left is inferior kinematics and stealth.

As for the existing airframes, in the previous F-22 thread, I had posted a list of developments from the 1980s that shows how the modern battlefield is becoming a very dangerous place for such aircraft.
American air supremacy in combat with those aircraft is greatly because their enemies have not gone very far in acquiring significant numbers of many of these abilities. This kind of situation can hardly be expected to last forever.

One must note BTW that there is nothing wrong with planning to fight for big wars. In fact, regardless of rarity, big wars are a military's raison d etre. Only AFTER you satisfy the need for big wars that are meant to defend your most vital interests (such as your territory) should you branch out in other things like "Low Intensity Conflicts" in places of peripheral interest.
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