Forum: F-35 Variants and Missions

With the USAF fighting with every breath to get only 183 Raptors. Will they have any real choice but to modify F-35's for the Air Superiority Role? Confused

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The USAF will use the F-35 for air superority the same way the USAF is using the F-18 and F-16s for air superiority even though the F-15 is a more capable platform in this respect. No modifications needed though. As is, the F-35 is at least as capable as a Typhoon or Rafale in A2A combat effectiveness. In fact, in BVR combat it'll probably dominate any of these 4th generation Eurocanards because of its endurance, stealth and superior sensory suite. Yes, it'll be about 10% slower and somewhat less of an aerobatics aircraft. But how much does that matter when you are lobbing AMRAAMs at an opponent who is unaware or insufficiently aware of your presence from 100km away? BTW, it is not like it is a flying brick of the Space Shuttle genre, this is an aircraft which is as agile or more agile and FASTER than the F-16/18s in combat configurations.

This is good enough even if it is not as good as the F-22.

With the USAF only getting 183 Raptors it looks as it will have no choice!

The F-35 needs no modification for air superiority. That's part of its requirement. However performaning that role will need externally mounted stores so I don't think you can count stealth as being an advantage over other aircraft.

RonO wrote:

The F-35 needs no modification for air superiority. That's part of its requirement. However performaning that role will need externally mounted stores so I don't think you can count stealth as being an advantage over other aircraft.

Actually that is not true. The F-35 does not need to mount external stores to perform air superiority even though it can if the priority for the mission is missile load over stealth.

The F-35 will be able to carry at least 4 AAMs and most probably 6 AAMs internally for Air Superiority missions. The A2G station is one which holds a 2000 lb JDAM or a JSOW. These are HUGE weapons. If you can fit those you can fit ANY single AAM in there and probably two staggered AMRAAM class weapons.

The F-35 can also carry almost twice as much fuel internally as the Typhoon, so it really does not need external tanks either. Because it does not have to carry external stores, its A2A flight performance will be superior to the F-16 or F-18 on similar missions due to the absence of draggy stuff hanging outside.

dwightlooi wrote:

The USAF will use the F-35 for air superority the same way the USAF is using the F-18 and F-16s for air superiority....

Since when has the USAF used the Hornet for anything? Confused

Typo?

LinkF16SimDude wrote:

dwightlooi wrote:

The USAF will use the F-35 for air superority the same way the USAF is using the F-18 and F-16s for air superiority....

Since when has the USAF used the Hornet for anything? Confused

Typo?

He most likely meant Navy for F-18, AF for F-16... Quick fingers, but we all understood! Cheers

Forum: F-35 Variants and Missions

F-35 as an Air Defense Fighter?