Bias_2012 wrote on Mar 13
th, 2021 at 9:12am:
Why are we buying them? We can't afford a lemon like that. We should cancel the order before we go completely broke
Oh, dearie, dearie, me. McFate is a true ground pounder with a ground pounder's ideas on what constitutes "warfare". He is dismissive of the F-35's abilities which he obviously doesn't understand. It is stealthy - "stealthy" means it is invisible to radar and to a lesser extent, infra-red tracking systems. It is part of an integrated systems approach to warfare - which means it is part of a system which is combined to create a package of aircraft that can outmanoeuvre enemy aircraft strategically. It has advanced EO (Electro-Optics) system which effectively allows the pilot to "see through" the aircraft and which automatically spots any missile launches against it. It has an advanced mission management system which allows it to integrate closely and automatically with AEW&C aircraft.
Basically it is a generation ahead of any aircraft presently flying, including the F-22. The days that fighter aircraft take on one another, individually died at the end of WWI and was effectively killed in WWII. Today, fighters fight as a unit, not single planes. This ability has all come at a cost. Fighters are the top of the line aircraft and so cost more than bombers and CAS aircraft.
The reason why we, Australia, is buying these aircraft is because there isn't anything out there that even comes close to the F-35 in capability. No Russian, no Chinese, no British, no Japanese, nothing. RAAF has long attempted to structure itself as a leading air force in our region. We purchased the F-86/CA-27, the Mirage IIIO, the F-111 and the F/A-18 because they were better than what anybody else had, in the region. The F-35 continues that trend.
Now, Bobby, why isn't this in the Defence Forum?