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

Don’t know much about that but if Finland is not planning for operating an Aircraft Carrier, Rafale-M won’t make much sense to them as it’s a carrier based modification of Rafale.
Why not? Stronger landing gear allow harder landings on improvised air strips.

It is the same thing with the Hornet. Finnish Hornets have the landing hooks. It's possible in theory to put up an arresting wire across a road for the Finnish Hornets.
 
Why not? Stronger landing gear allow harder landings on improvised air strips.

It is the same thing with the Hornet. Finnish Hornets have the landing hooks. It's possible in theory to put up an arresting wire across a road for the Finnish Hornets.
French members can explain better but As far as I know it’s not just about landing distance but operational requirements of carrier based fighters are different than Airforce versions. Even the landing modality is different, like they use arrester hooks, require software changes that makes the whole landing process easier and automated. Take-off and landing on carriers are very complex and maintenance intensive operation.
Airframe needs special treatment to protect for salt corrosion.
Even engines are specially modified to operate in these humid conditions.
 
Last edited:
Manufacturing F35
Assembly line






Use of AR

Projected Work Instructions on the F-35 Lightning

Automation
Note despite the big talk, automation is not at the level used in commercial sector like automobile manufacturing. It’s possible that Chinese J20 line is more automated than F35.

Also KUKA is now owned by Chinese Midea group. So essentially US defence companies are using Chinese equipment’s to manufacture F35.


PS: compared to LM’s F35 assembly, HAL LCA line looks like Stone Age with almost all work done manually.
Wish AMCA manufacturing goes to TATA Aerospace as they have much more modern and automated infrastructure for commercial planes and has experience in modern automated manufacturing in Automobiles sector. Their Harrier/Safari/Punch assembly line is highly automated, close to South Korean and European Automakers.
KAI-KF21 Assembly line in comparison looks more automated

 
The afterburner won't help with landing ;)

images

 
  • Like
Reactions: RISING SUN
The afterburner won't help with landing ;)

I doubt either takeoff or landing poses a problem for the F-35A in wartime conditions.

Comfortable margins are required in peacetime, and although it can be a bit expensive, the main bases can be upgraded for it. Stuff like this will have been taken into consideration when costs are tallied.
 
Yeah well, I still think that the F-35 is out. Of course I could be wrong. We only have to wait a few weeks to get the answer.

That's what I like about the Finnish program. With cost out of the way, the choice will purely be made on technical basis. There isn't better open source information than this.

I doubt the Finnish are gonna reveal a ranking list for obvious reasons, I hope they do, but the winner's gonna be the best jet, it's all that matters.

This is practically a contest between the F-35 B4 and Rafale F4. Typhoon and SH don't cut it, we know that for a fact. Saab claims their new jet with Meteor makes it 80% as capable in BVR as the F-35, which is still an admission that it's inferior to the F-35 in BVR.

F35.JPG

Only the Typhoon could bridge the gap quite a bit in A2A with the F-35.

Closer to home, it will help Indian enthusiasts gauge the IAF's capability versus our enemies. I mean, if the Rafale F4.2 is chosen, then the IAF doesn't have as much to worry from a fast advancing PLAAF. If the F-35 is chosen, then we need to see what the margin was, although I think that's not likely to be revealed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Picdelamirand-oil
The F-35 planes are priced for 2030. The price without inflation was $1b less. Remember the frog saying they went up $1b?
The rafale was flyaway $105. the modification was $55. Please don't BS
The only thing that everyone know now is the real price of the f-35 : 110 millions $US and what a surprise that's exactly what everyone say from long time ago except f-35 fanboyista.
We all wait know for the tacair. Will the F-16, F-15 or A-10 really desepear since the f-35 are so multirole ?
 
Why not? Stronger landing gear allow harder landings on improvised air strips.

It is the same thing with the Hornet. Finnish Hornets have the landing hooks. It's possible in theory to put up an arresting wire across a road for the Finnish Hornets.
With all due respect your logic in why F-18 is better is borderline... well stupid. So because the F-35A MAY need a lil bit longer runway you would rather have a 4th gen fighter (lump in french plane too) that is far less capable and susceptible to Russian IADS and possibly SU-35s over the F-35A? Is that what you're saying?

Clearly you're not a Finish fighter pilot or you wouldn't say such nonsense. Fouth gen fighters are in their twilight years there's a reason why Europe is buying F-35s over the french plane. Start putting on your thinking hat and stop using emotions to do your thinking.
 
According to the 2011 Selected Acquisition Report, the F/A-18E/F’s per unit reoccurring flyaway cost (basically, the cost of the aircraft with no support equipment or spares), comes to US$82.88 million (fiscal year 2012). This does not include foreign military sales, or research and development fees levied on a program of this type. Adding these costs should bring the aircraft’s per unit cost to around US$90 million. At this cost, and with the Canadian government’s hard cap of C$9 billion for the acquisition phase, the RCAF’s potential Super Hornet fleet size will be less than 65 aircraft, and perhaps as few as 55.
You also need to add pods. ~$10-15m. The IR pod is ~7m, I would think the current targeting pod is similar.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Spitfire6
Clearly you're not a Finish fighter pilot or you wouldn't say such nonsense.
Of course I am not a fighter pilot... I have done eight months of conscript service in a mortar company, a very long time ago. But I have followed the HX process for years. The demand for distributed operations comes from the political level. If the F-35, Rafale and whatever are not suited for it, then it's Gripen all the way. This is just what my intuition is saying after years of reading.

The problem with the F-35 crowd is precisely this: they start with the assumption that F-35 is the best, then it must be that the F-35 is best, and it is the best because it is best. Well maybe so, but if it does not fit the requirements then there will be no buying and selling happening. If it is the "best" but it is not what is required then no.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Amarante
The problem with the F-35 crowd is precisely this: they start with the assumption that F-35 is the best, then it must be that the F-35 is best, and it is the best because it is best. Well maybe so, but if it does not fit the requirements then there will be no buying and selling happening. If it is the "best" but it is not what is required then no.
No you are describing the Gripen and french plane crowd. F-35 is the best as far as capabilities for obvious reasons if you want to go into details of the capabilities of the three fighters lets do so but it's not going to look good for the 4th gen fighters including US 4th gen fighters.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Spitfire6
Whole lot of words, no analysis. 'Cause you are not capable of analysing costs.

You should try reading more
As for this so-called "combar ready" version, the additions are peanuts for the SH. 100K for the ALE-55 and $1M for a Litening/Sniper pod.

If this is what you think they cost, you need to look at your own ability to analyze costs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Innominate
The only thing that everyone know now is the real price of the f-35 : 110 millions $US and what a surprise that's exactly what everyone say from long time ago except f-35 fanboyista.
We all wait know for the tacair. Will the F-16, F-15 or A-10 really desepear since the f-35 are so multirole ?

If you don't know how to analyze US defence costing methodology you should probably stop trying at this point. $110 million for procurement cost is superb comparatively, and "fanboyista" keeps getting it right with the F-35 while the French rage post like jealous high school girls, on and on about Switzerland which was a rude awakening to everyone who's brains have been dulled with wine and berets while the F-35 fanboys got it right from the start. Not that we don't enjoy the behavior, much like American liberals half the fun is watching the snowflakes melt, and they don't have an ounce of stoicism, grace, or humility in their blood, it would never occur to them to take their lumps, congratulate the winner (we know the French are capable of collaboration) and quietly improve. instead they advertise the pain for all to see in the most overdramatic painfully performative way possible. The way you "guys" post here desperately seeking validation and attention in attempts to be "edgy" is delightful, it just reeks of bitterness which makes it all the better. Your obsession with F-35 is icing on the cake

Don’t know much about that but if Finland is not planning for operating an Aircraft Carrier, Rafale-M won’t make much sense to them as it’s a carrier based modification of Rafale.

And F35 is much more capable than F18 in almost every aspect except price maybe and in 10-15 years down the line, Super Hornets will become obsolete design and very expensive to maintain and update (unlike F35 which is modern design and has excellent growth potential owing to large user base).
i keep trying to emphasize this to randomradio but he can't read apparently. Can you say this with pictures somehow? I tried cute little emoji animals already. Super Hornet is a dead end.

Look folks, I am convinced that F-35 won't be chosen in Finland. This is despite the fact that it has it's fans in Finland too.

One reason is that it is not suited for FAF's distributed operations. Look at the Hornet, FAF's current plane. It was a perfect match for FAF.

On the Finnish forum (where I am banned) they said that when FAF chose the Hornet, their available improvised airfields became twice as numerous. This is because the Hornet can take off from short runways - it is made for carrier ops. Now if they choose F-35, they will have to completely change the way they work and adopt a whole new doctrine.

This, and various other reasons, mean that it simply doesn't mean the requirements. This doesn't mean it's a bad plane. Maybe it's really good, I don't know and I don't care, but you can't shove a square peg into a round hole, at least not if there are options that are a better fit for the requirements.

Mind you, the demand for distributed operations comes from the political level. It is not even the Air Force that gets to decide how to do their stuff.

Many people here fail to see the point. It is not only about what is a "good" plane! It is about requirements!

What was Denmark's previous plane? F-16.
What was Norway's previous plane? F-16.
What was many other countries previous plane before the F35... it was the F-16.

Finland is not an F-16 user. F-16 was rejected in the previous round and F-18 was chosen. A carrier aircraft that suited Finland's needs perfectly.

the only reason the hornet is capable of "short take off" is the catapult that launches it off the front of the carrier. As a Canadian I can tell you this has come up a million times, icy runways, runways length, arrested landings, Norway's drag chutes et cetera. its really not the "impact" from super hornet undercarriage landing "hard" that matters. land the aircraft as usual, its the lumps and bumps of the bad road or runway that come after, carrier aircraft don't deal with that stuff. they hardly taxi. and we have seen F-16 do roadside operations before.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: RISING SUN
  • Like
Reactions: RISING SUN