Forum: General F-35 Forum

F-16 and F/A-18s on strike missions do not need to go supersonic; it is the A2A configured F-16s and F/A-18s that go supersonic to engage the enemy jet.

Accordingly, a fair comparison would be the acceleration of F-35, F-16, and F/A-18 each equipped with four AMRAAMs and two sidewinders.

Since F-35 can can carry only two AMRAAMs internally, two AMRAAMs and two sidewinders must be carried externally, and be even slower.

Boeing Says ‘Confident’ of Winning South Korean Fighter Jet Deal

Boeing Co. (BA), maker of the F-18 and F-15 fighter jets, said it’s “very confident” of winning a $7 billion South Korean order for combat planes as it boosts focus on Asia amid shrinking military spending at home.

Bids for the South Korean order are due in June, and a winner may be selected by October. The country is also looking to buy 36 attack helicopters this year, Song said.

“From the cursory look at the RFP, it looks like we can meet all requirements,” he said, referring to the initial request for proposal. “We have great partnerships in Korea, so we are very confident that we can do this.”