USA fighter dilemma

[shawn a]

To iluveagles:
I'm pretty sure the F-35 does not have thrust vectoring. The stovl version has vectoring in the downward direction for stovl purposes, and it may be usefull for VIFFing (vectoring in forward flight) like the Harrier can do.
 I think we should continue to develop stealth, while not ignoring agility, long range missiles, data links, EW countermeasures, multirole capability, and sheer numbers of capable platforms. This means we must spend more MONEY (and, of course, get congress to allocate it) We have the resources and intellectual ability to best anything the rest of the world can throw at us-whether we have the will is another question. I feel our next real fighter combat challenge may occur in the Straights of Taiwan, against vast numbers of aircraft.
Shawn A.

[tigershark]

That's interesting that you think the " next real fighter combat challenge may occur in the Straights of Taiwan, against vast numbers of aircraft".   Very possible but I think Africa because in time China will deploy assets there including fighters and down the road be more useful to China then Taiwan.   With no big players left in Africa there's nobody there to really say no to them.  Once China has a bigger part or share of Europe's Economy nobody will have spine to say anything to them just like my country now.   Sudan location is interesting with Chinese help could cause a problem in the Red Sea region one might say is a slightly important oil region. And in time push through Chad and be a force in Central Africa.  Nigeria is another goal or stepping stone in Africa for China and one of China's main sources of oil from Africa which is by the way on the other side of Chad.  If Chad falls China heavily invested in two oil producing countries on either side and depending on who holds the power could cut Africa in half, in theory.  Can't you just see it China leader saying "China is only deploying forces to save the peace" in Africa and will only a be temporary.  I know this is a little far reaching but it's sure interesting and the Chinese are long term planners. 

Link
China's Hu urges more Africa ties
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4949688.stm

[iluveagles]

Going off of the pictures of the F-35B, that variant appears to have TV.

[tigershark]

You may be right about the TV.   I also think the B model will be a good seller for LM because the short-take-off-landings is such a asset to have.  Fighters could be deployed off big bases in different places making hard to find to target them. 

[Gripen]

Does that mean you don't agree or don't care...............?

Who you talking to?

[iluveagles]

You..........

[Gripen]

Oh, i was just deciding on whether or not i should point out the fact that "its not a war between governments, its just polictical" or what ever it was makes no sense, its the same thing isnt it?

[iluveagles]

What I was trying to say, and I didn't put it in very good terms, was that its not a shooting war, its a war of words and threats, more or less...............

[God Bless USA]

I agree with nonpilot on the F-35B.  There will finally be a STOV fighter with speed, range, ETC.. I believe all airforces should have some F-35B's in there inventory.  I believe the extra cost is worth having a fighter available just in case your runways are unavailable!

[iluveagles]

If a runway isn't available you have more problems than needing a STOV aircraft...........

[God Bless USA]

South Korea is a example where the F-35B could come in handy.  Most of the USAF base are north of Kunsan Air Base.  Kunsan is located just south of the middle of South Korea.  In a suprise attack on Kunsan it is about a 15-minute jet flight from North Korea.  So what I was trying to say is if there is suprise attack in a country so small with so many bases within a short stiking distance the F-35B come in handy.  We finally have a STOV aircraft that can fly at fighter speeds, why not use it! 

[iluveagles]

But look, if you have North Korean Jets making it into South Korea without our radar picking them up, you have a lot more problems than needing a STOV aircraft, like a North Korean stealth aircraft.............I mean come on, there is a such thing as planning for feasible enemy strikes and then there is completely implausible scenarios.

Look, even if a North Korean jet(which is a pretty unsophisticated piece of old Soviet technology)hits its burners(in which case I wouldn't be surprised if the plan blew apart)and flys across the DMZ, it will not be able to sustain supersonic flight for a long period of time, if at all, and as soon as it is detected F-16s out of Kunsan will be scrambled, so thats three minutes, five tops, and they are ready to shoot it down. Not only that, but it will have to evade SAM sites and AAA.

Overall, a North Korean jet getting over the DMZ, getting to Kunsan and then destroying all of the runway and taxiways(an F-16 could take off of a taxiway if nessecary, especially if you see the length of all of the taxiways and runways at Kunsan).

If I were you, I'd be more worried about a North Korean nuclear device.