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

[Rajput Lion]

@Rajput Lion
It's very difficult to cover 1,000km out from ships with patrols. As the radius increases, the area you need to cover increases in proportion to radius squared. The F-14 with extrenal tanks could only cover out to 450km for instance and the Phoenix increased that to 600km theoretically. You have to cover 4x the area at 900km as 450km. I don't believe there's currently any carrier-fighter combo that can cover out to 1,000km.

I am not in disagreement with you. I was just laughing at what LM touted in the past about how even one loose rivet could increase the RCS of F-117 and now both F-35 & F-22 are supposed to be "stealthy" despite carrying external ordnance/IRST pods. The fact that we're supposed to believe that due to stealthy pylons/weapons/pods Stealth wouldn't be compromised is sheer BS.

That's what French posters like @Picdelamirand-oil and @Bon Plan etc. have said over the years about versatility of Rafale to carry heavy stuff at a far distance.

F-35 in that configuration which you've posted won't be any better than Rafale.

 

[BMD]

I am not in disagreement with you. I was just laughing at what LM touted in the past about how even one loose rivet could increase the RCS of F-117 and now both F-35 & F-22 are supposed to be "stealthy" despite carrying external ordnance/IRST pods. The fact that we're supposed to believe that due to stealthy pylons/weapons/pods Stealth wouldn't be compromised is sheer BS.

The F-117 was designed to have mostly geometrical stealth, computers couldn't simulate curves or external ordance and RAM has advanced bucket loads since then. That said, an F-35 with pylons will still have a higher RCS than one without, but given the immense stand-off range and a blue water environment, that shouldn't matter. The F-117 also didn't know when trouble was coming, the F-35 sees all radar threats and EM signals besides.

That's what French posters like @Picdelamirand-oil and @Bon Plan etc. have said over the years about versatility of Rafale to carry heavy stuff at a far distance.

F-35 in that configuration which you've posted won't be any better than Rafale.

The Rafale isn't a stealth plane period, the pylons aren't stealthly and Storm Shadow has a higher RCS than a LRASM/JASSM. A stealthy plane carrying an external load still has a lower RCS than an unstealthy one doing the same. And the Rafale would still have to carry more externally like MRAAMs and drop tanks.

 

[Rajput Lion]

The F-117 was designed to have mostly geometrical stealth, computers couldn't simulate curves or external ordance and RAM has advanced bucket loads since then. That said, an F-35 with pylons will still have a higher RCS than one without, but given the immense stand-off range and a blue water environment, that shouldn't matter. The F-117 also didn't know when trouble was coming, the F-35 sees all radar threats and EM signals besides.


The Rafale isn't a stealth plane period, the pylons aren't stealthly and Storm Shadow has a higher RCS than a LRASM/JASSM. A stealthy plane carrying an external load still has a lower RCS than an unstealthy one doing the same. And the Rafale would still have to carry more externally like MRAAMs and drop tanks.

Fair enough

 

[Bon Plan]

Storm Shadow has a higher RCS than a LRASM/JASSM

ALL BUT NOT SURE !

 

[BMD]

ALL BUT NOT SURE !

Obviously this is based purely on geometry, but LM tend to be ahead on stealth materials too:

 

[BMD]

Lockheed Martin Given Authority to Choose Contractor for F-35 Fighter Jet’s Power and Thermal Management System (PTMS) Program

Lockheed Martin Given Authority to Choose Contractor for F-35 Fighter Jet’s Power and Thermal Management System Program

www.armyrecognition.com

Thales Defense & Security Inc. (TDSI) Awarded Contract by DIU for F-22 Helmet Mounted Display Interface Development – Thales Defense & Security, Inc.

www.thalesdsi.com

 

[Picdelamirand-oil]

Lockheed Martin Given Authority to Choose Contractor for F-35 Fighter Jet’s Power and Thermal Management System (PTMS) Program

Lockheed Martin Given Authority to Choose Contractor for F-35 Fighter Jet’s Power and Thermal Management System Program

www.armyrecognition.com

Thales Defense & Security Inc. (TDSI) Awarded Contract by DIU for F-22 Helmet Mounted Display Interface Development – Thales Defense & Security, Inc.

www.thalesdsi.com

This is the same HMD as the French Rafale.

TDSI has been awarded an initial $1.6 million Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract for integration and development testing of F-22 specific upgrades for its Scorpion® Helmet Mounted Display (HMD).