Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning and F-22 'Raptor' : News & Discussion

Mind you, the USMC and I think the Canadian Hornets, some X-AU, With better missiles and GaN AESA radar and other stuff. Will be superior to the Rafale.
 
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What is AMRAAM-ER ? (ER = extended range, I know), but first time i read something about it.
It's an air-launched version of SLAMRAAM-ER/NASAMS. It has a 10 inch booster so double the booster c/s area and volume.

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The F-35 is the best jet you can buy today.

The standard Hornet is trash. What I'm talking about is an upgraded Hornet with the SH B3 radar and EW suite. This is what the USMC is doing right now. We are gonna do the same with the Mig-29, get it flying for 10 more years with modern avionics.

The F-35 may be the best jet today, questionable, but the version the RAAF have is currently not suitable for fighting a major adversary. And this is as per the American DoD itself. B4 and beyond are necessary, and old jets cannot carry all the B4 upgrades, never mind the stuff coming in the future that's meant to keep the jet relevant. Point being if you get into a fight with the Chinese between 2035 and 2040, your F-35s are gonna be "trash".
 
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The Labour government may force the MoD to decide between the F-35 and the future Tempest, the planned sixth-generation fighter that is part of the British-led Global Air Combat Programme (GCAP). The UK is working with Italy and Japan on the GCAP, which like the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program calls for a system of systems that could include a manned fighter supported by multiple unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones.
 
Versus who?

The US is upgrading their Hornets. It's the first Western jet with a GaN radar.


The standard Hornet is trash. What I'm talking about is an upgraded Hornet with the SH B3 radar and EW suite. This is what the USMC is doing right now. We are gonna do the same with the Mig-29, get it flying for 10 more years with modern avionics.

The F-35 may be the best jet today, questionable, but the version the RAAF have is currently not suitable for fighting a major adversary. And this is as per the American DoD itself. B4 and beyond are necessary, and old jets cannot carry all the B4 upgrades, never mind the stuff coming in the future that's meant to keep the jet relevant. Point being if you get into a fight with the Chinese between 2035 and 2040, your F-35s are gonna be "trash".
Australian Hornets didn't have 10 years left in them. They were 40 years old, exceeded their G lifetime. We decided to replace them with the F-35 in 2002, some 22 years ago.

Doesn't matter. I remembered who I'm talking to.
 

Turkey is seeking a solution to re-enter the American F-35 fighter jet program after being kicked out over its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 missile system. To this end, Ankara is pushing for the inclusion of an amendment in the 2025 US defense budget (NDAA) that would allow it to avoid sanctions over the S-400.


Ankara has been pursuing an intensive behind-the-scenes-diplomatic push in recent months to find a formula that will allow it to purchase F-35 jets from the US, changing the goals of its defense strategy. According to sources, its has entirely reversed its stance on the S-400 and now appears eager to make any concessions to satisfy Washington, and thus submit a formal request to the US State Department for the fifth-generation fighters.
 
Wonder how much RCS penalty these twin AIRST pods are going to impose on the Raptor??
Definitely GaN and based on APG-85 me thinks.


With these IRST pods and GaN radar, Raptor reclaims its status as king of the sky. Now it will become a propa J-20 destroyer. @randomradio What's your take on the above updates?
 
Wonder how much RCS penalty these twin AIRST pods are going to impose on the Raptor??
There's only one and it's a stealth design with a stealth pylon design too.
Definitely GaN and based on APG-85 me thinks.


With these IRST pods and GaN radar, Raptor reclaims its status as king of the sky. Now it will become a propa J-20 destroyer. @randomradio What's your take on the above updates?
That's not all.

 
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There's only one and it's a stealth design with a stealth pylon design too.
No buddy, it will use dual AIRST pods. You may confirm it with your Yankee friend @Innominate or with this picture:

Screenshot_20240905-230853_Chrome.jpg

That's not all.

This is downright scary for the enemies/rivals of USA and absolutely disruptive military tech.
 
No buddy, it will use dual AIRST pods. You may confirm it with your Yankee friend @Innominate or with this picture:

View attachment 36060
Fair enough, didn't realise, I guess that could be used for triangulating distance.
This is downright scary for the enemies/rivals of USA and absolutely disruptive military tech.
Stealth probably won't help against God-mode tracking from above either, and it brings interesting possibilities with the new AIM-174B.
 
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Turkey is seeking a solution to re-enter the American F-35 fighter jet program after being kicked out over its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 missile system. To this end, Ankara is pushing for the inclusion of an amendment in the 2025 US defense budget (NDAA) that would allow it to avoid sanctions over the S-400.


Ankara has been pursuing an intensive behind-the-scenes-diplomatic push in recent months to find a formula that will allow it to purchase F-35 jets from the US, changing the goals of its defense strategy. According to sources, its has entirely reversed its stance on the S-400 and now appears eager to make any concessions to satisfy Washington, and thus submit a formal request to the US State Department for the fifth-generation fighters.
Turkey is less and less trustable for the west.
As thay also want to join BRIC community, it's not a good sign.
Even their future as NATO country is questionable.
A GaN one probably.
I think USAF will regret not to have more F22 (and less F35).