I do however feel that it is no more maneuverable than an F-16.
A clean block 52 F-16 with a centre tank can keep with a Raptor subsonic and transonic in acceleration. The late F-16 is no slouch.
F-35 has twice the AoA envolope of the F-16 though.
I think that it is an overweight project, with or without VTOL, and the glide ratio would seem to be atrocious considering its overall design.
It is overweight (30,000lb's, vs 24,000) in the same way the Raptor is overweight (43,000lb's vs 30,000's). The whole aircraft has grown with this and now is similar in wing loading and t/w ratio to most 4.5 generation aircraft. Why is glide ratio worse than any other fighter, like the Super Hornet, and F-16? Why don't we slap a radar and missiles on the U-2? Good glide ratio, right?
As much as I hate modern avionics, I won't try saying that N001 can compete with the Lightning's avionics.
I love modern avionics. The GAO compared the capability of various fighters versus a baseline JSF. AV-8B got 0.111, F-14D got 0.195, F-18C/D+ got 0.193, Super Hornet block 1 got 0.316, and you know what SUPER HORNET BLOCK 2 got? 0.65. Why? Modern avionics.
www.gao.gov/new.items/d04900.pdfhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRkpFsXz ... annel_pagehttp://www.avtoday.com/av/categories/military/1145.htmlhttp://integrator.hanscom.af.mil/2007/O ... 007-21.htmhttp://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-9268.htmlModern avionics also means the Block 60 F-16 radar outranges the F-15C radar by over 300%. The F-35 has, AESA, DAS, EOTS, VLO, DIRCM, best CNI/IFF, best datalink, sensor fusion, and best HMD. It has been suggested that the radar on Wedgetail, if upgraded, could jam enemy datalinks, insert false targets into enemy datalinks, and hack enemy datalinks. On the early F-16, it took 8 seconds for the engine to spool up from idle to full afterburner, with newer avionics it takes less than 2 seconds...
But as you stated, much of the integration of current US arsenal comes on external hardpoints.
The F-35 can carry almost anything internally. Only things I can name which it cannot carry is current HARM (fine, use the one in development instead), mk-20, and Aim-9X (fine, wait for block II). Them, and JASSM which is not exactly required to be internally carried.
http://www.air-attack.com/MIL/jsf/f35we ... 090320.jpgThis won't be good for the airplane when its low maneuverability comes into the factor, especially when you factor in Flanker's equipped with TVC...or just ordinary Flankers.
You keep claiming the F-35 is not manoeuvrable, but it's not substantiated. F-35 far exceeds the ordinary Flankers t/w ratio, and is still better than the MKI's t/w ratio. TVC doesn't help a whole lot unless very slow. On top of that when WVR the F-35 still has DAS, & a far better HMD.
It has an advanced sensor package, and stealth. But overall, it is an overweight, sluggish airplane. Even with a good targeting system, in WVR, it will come down to the plane that can outmaneuver the other plane.
I think your idea of WVR is warped. WVR is when you can see them outside the window and does not necessarily refer to dogfights. If DAS picks up an enemy jet, then all the pilot has to do is look at it and fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNMio9zN2QEven in a dogfight the F-35 will be at minimum, parity with newer Flankers...
If it were the worst aircraft ever built then I highly doubt 10+ nations would be going to buy it...
Last edited by Slotback on Wed May 13, 2009 2:36 am, edited 1 time in total.