Which Air Force is Best?

[Raptor]

If you haven't noticed, the F-35 has an incredibly FAT fuselage which entails all interior-mounted weapons.

[Gripen]

i thought it had extra hard points on its wings for extra weapons and such

[Raptor]

I think you can do that with the F-22 if you wanted to, too. They got rid of the exterior hardpoints to make full use of the stealth.

[Gripen]

which is more effective

stealth, or enough missiles to destroy anything that moves?

[Raptor]

And made the internal bays bigger, so you can destro anything that moves AND be       . (When you see it without the stealth, it says: 'unseen')

[Valiant1]

The F-22 does have provisions for 4 hardpoints - 2 on each wing - that is if stealth is not a priority on a mission.  The US is currently looking to build a 2-seat variant of the F-22, primarily for attack missions, with a more delta-wing configuration - probably for greater weapons payload and range - again, stealth would not be a factor for this variant, but it will still have smaller radar cross sections than its counterparts.

[Gripen]

The F-22 does have provisions for 4 hardpoints - 2 on each wing - that is if stealth is not a priority on a mission.  The US is currently looking to build a 2-seat variant of the F-22, primarily for attack missions, with a more delta-wing configuration - probably for greater weapons payload and range - again, stealth would not be a factor for this variant, but it will still have smaller radar cross sections than its counterparts.

why would they make some F-22 Attackers. Dont they already have stealth attack planes in the JSF, F-117 and B2, plus their nuke subs?

[Raptor]

Yeah, well, they might need a bigger payload for the mission, or something...

[Valiant1]

Gripen, I said they were looking, I'm not really sure if they'll build them.  I did see schematics for the attack version.

[Raptor]

Well, the F-22s do maintain the Attack-capability, though not to such an extent as the F-35. So saying, most aircraft do have attack capabilities.

[Gripen]

so the F-22 has attack capabilites, but it predominetly a fighter

and the JSF has fighter capabilities, but it predominetly a fighter

ok

now im really confused!

[Valiant1]

Well, technically, the Raptor is designated F/A-22A Raptor.  If the attack version is ever built, it would be designated F/A22B Raptor, with the larger delta wing configuration and 2 airmen sitting in a tandem position - pilot and weapons officer.  And yes, there are provisions for 4 hardpoints on the wings - 2 on each for the Raptor.  Screw stealth, if the military says it can do all the things they say it can do, load it down with weapons and get the job done the first time!

I don't understand why the USAF would decide to build another mucho expensive version of an already very expensive aircraft - that is why they are building the F-35, which is primarily an attack  aircraft w/fighter capabilities.  The military bigwigs sure don't know how to use common sense - all they know what to do is waste money!!!
 
We're in a world of downsizing - where we used to have fighters, fighter-bombers, attack, ground attack/support, anti-radar, flying gas tank - the US wants one aircraft to do all those tasks - look at the new F/A 18E & F Hornets -

the F model is going to do the task of attack, fighter, anti-radar (like the EA-6BProwler, it will be redesignated F-18G Growler), and possibly a flying gas tank.