Forum: F-35 Armament, Stores and Tactics

I forget it. The F-35 can also carry antiradar misiles HARM and the english ALARM. probably the fighter can use 6 misiles.

I have seen that the gun will be the Harrier GAU-12. But i saw in one magazine that the palne will use the Mauser 27 mm, similar than the eurofighter gun.

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I don't think the F-35A will be a suitable substitute for the A-10A. The A-10A was designed to fly slow and have a long loiter time, while the F-35A was designed to be a supersonic fighter.

*EDIT* Maybe this will clear things up on the F-35's payload.

So wait, the F-35 is going to have external hardpoints? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the stealth?

1. Yes.

2. That is why USAF insists the production of Raptor~ the only "Real Stealthy Fighter" when carrying six BVRAAMs and two WVRAAMs.

The idea of those external hardpoints are when low-observability isn't required on the mission.

Or for the exporting variants of F-35 that USA don't want their stealthy capability to be too good. The external hardpoints will bring the capability of carrying and using AIM-9X and / or more AIM-120 to the exporting variants of F-35, while degrading their stealthy performance significantly at the same time.

kilo111 wrote:

I forget it. The F-35 can also carry antiradar misiles HARM and the english ALARM. probably the fighter can use 6 misiles.

I have seen that the gun will be the Harrier GAU-12. But i saw in one magazine that the palne will use the Mauser 27 mm, similar than the eurofighter gun.

I'm pretty sure the F-35's gun will be a GAU-12 derivative.

http://www.gdatp.com/products/lethality ... gau-12.htm

The USAF F-35A will carry 180 rounds of ammunition. The F-35B and F-35C will have the ability to carry a pod containing the gun and 220 rounds of ammunition, I believe.

Is the F-35 going to use an LDP? Can it be carried and used from the internal bay?

Is there any word on stealthy external pods for carrying extra weapons? That would probably help allay fears about the jet. I know they were developing them for the FB-22 idea, but I don't know how well that would translate to the F-35.

Also, the Raptor has external hardpoints too for when it can be a big ole bomb truck. These aircraft were meant to be useful outside of the first 3 days of the war. They can both get in air defense pretty well (the F-35 is still pretty bloody low observability).

At least they aren't making the same mistake with the F-4 and saying the days of dogfighting are over. I don't see why they wouldn't include guns on the B and C models though. That seems to be asking for trouble.

In the B model there's no place for the gun because of the large fan just behind the cockpit.
I don't know the reason for the C model, but I guess the Navy wanted more fuel instead of a gun.

There is a podded gun being developed for external carriage on the B & C models, I believe it is slung under an intake.

Andy

toan wrote:

Or for the exporting variants of F-35 that USA don't want their stealthy capability to be too good. The external hardpoints will bring the capability of carrying and using AIM-9X and / or more AIM-120 to the exporting variants of F-35, while degrading their stealthy performance significantly at the same time.

Hardpoints do not meaningfully diminish stealth. Prior to achievement of air sovereignty over a given theater, the JSF will go in sans pylons and thus will enjoy (frontal aspect) stealth similar to the Raptor. Once that air sovereignty is attained, throw up some pylons, and go blow stuff up.

On an unrelated note, it is clear that a lot of you interested in this thread didnt read the very first post as you have asked questions answered by the article that started the thread.

The outer hard points are there for other uses too.....

After phase one of an air campaign is done ( Large SAMs and airpower killed off ) then you don't need the stealth ability as medium and small SAMs, MANPADs, AAA, trashfire..... aren't going to be a big deal when you are dropping sub 4 meter accuracy PGMs from 30....35 and 40,000 feet. I can touch you, but you can't touch me. So the hard points can be used all they want to carry along extra stuff. i.e. for the U.S. anyway, my original argument for cancelling JSF.

Forum: F-35 Armament, Stores and Tactics

F-35 weapons loadout (possible)