Lets do a little critical thinking test. since you are a man who thinks yes? Like you analyse and don't just believe whatever you hear? You talk about "on paper" yes let us talk about the "paper" and what is on it compared to reality.
are you ready?
On paper the F-35 is not FOC. They build 150 per year. The Rafale is built around 36 per year. at the end of the year there will be around 1000 F-35s.
but remember! the paper says its not in full production, silly! even though its built at a 400 percent higher rate than the Rafale, which mind you has been operational since 2004. why? because the French said it was ready enough, and so in it went. no need for bombs, no need for a JSE, AAMs are enough! 2 years later add the bombs to Rafale with F2-- 25 years later add the SEAD!
Meanwhile in America, the F-35 can't be "fully operational" until the F-35 passes a "Joint simulated environment" That no aircraft before the F-35, and no aircraft after the F-35 will have to pass. The F-22 didn't have to pass JSE, and the F-15EX won't have to pass JSE, both will be "fully operational" without it. HMM!!! but the F-35 does need to pass JSE! Why? Because the paper says so! it can't be fully operational until that! why? because we say so. by any other previous or future standard the F-35 would be considered fully operational years ago and the block 4 Software like F4 upgrade for Rafale would be in the same category; something added later to improve what is already in operation. Rather than saying the F-35 is "in development" for 27 years, while its flying all over the world in operational squadrons and even participating in wars. The Rafale won't have SEAD capability until 2031. 27 years after it was first declared operational. The Australians are not requiring JSE to declare FOC. They will declare their F-35s (which are not block 4) FOC later this year. So what is stopping the Americans?
Australian F-35 Fleet to Reach Major Milestones in 2023
www.nationaldefensemagazine.org
paperwork says so! Ah of course! While Australia can say "great mate, we are ready!" the Americans must continue to slog through a bunch of self set and arbitrary rules that can't be achieved in any meaningful way. not because the F-35 is terrible, but because the standards are different and higher than any other aircraft in the world, even among other F-35 operators. the F-35 is supposed to be at a ready rate of 80 percent. it fails this. but every US fighter fails this metric as well. one should wonder why. why when no other fighter is ever making 80 percent readiness, they decided to try such a goal with the F-35, the most sophisticated aircraft in the arsenal? Even Gripens can struggle to maintain 80 percent.
The Rafale was fielded in block I with no air to ground capability and declared operational. If the F-35 followed the Rafales example it could have been declared operational in the early 2010s as soon as the AMRAAM capability was cleared. If the F-35 followed the F-22s example it would have been cleared FOC long ago same for Rafale. even you my friend admit the stealth alone gives it a massive advantage from the start.
in summary.
>The F-35 is built at a rate of 150 per year-- but it is not in full rate production
>The F-35 flies in operational squadrons all over the world in real wars-- but it is not operational and still in development "on paper"
>F-35 needs block 4 or else-- but Its the worlds most dominating 5th generation fighter according to the same source
>The F-35 needs to be block 4 to be fully operational, but other F-35 operators are declaring FOC without it.
>27 years later the F35 is not operational, except when it is.
>F-35 must pass a simulator to be FOC, nothing else has to pass such a simulation. but I guess we thought of the idea, so now we have to go through with it to the bitter end?
try and explain how even though 150+ F-35s being built each year, and a new one rolls of the assembly line every 60 hours. the paper says not "full rate production" on an assembly line that dwarves every other fighter. and you pretending to be smart then dutifully parrot this line without actually looking at what is taking place. not realizing that the words and actions don't match.
if you want to talk about "on paper" vs reality. then open your mind up a little bit and look around. If there was some paper that said no F-35 could be declared fully operational until painted pink, you would quickly tell me that the F-35 is not ready until you see a pink one! why? because the paper says so! its not me saying it! but the Americans? Why are you so quick to dismiss some Americans, and then on the other hand say "well the Americans said so, that means its the truth. have you actually stepped back?
"150 aircraft a year by any other name would smell just as sweet" -- William Shakespeare. we would think at one point the Americans would stop going through such silly exercises.
At what point my brother, would you say that what is "on paper" is not what is happening? but not the way you propose.
Think about it for a little bit. Then think about it a little more. and then look again. by the Rafale standard and any other standard F-35 would be declared Fully operational without JSE just like every other airplane in the world. But the Americans have delibrately painted themselves into an impossible position on paper. So what do they do? they ignore the papers while talking about how important all the papers are.
THINK.
www.airforce-technology.com
