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"in two years’ time, if not before, America is likely to lose its monopoly of radar-beating stealth combat aircraft with the introduction into service of China’s Chengdu J-20. This has a much longer range than America’s new F-35 fighter and will be a serious threat to American warships in the Pacific."
"At least as worrying for American commanders in the region is the dramatic upgrading of China’s inventory of air-to-air missiles (AAMs). The short-range PL-10, which was introduced in 2015, is regarded by military analysts as comparable in performance to Western equivalents, such as the Sidewinder II. This year, the PL-15, a radar-guided “beyond visual range” missile (BVRAAM), should enter service. Carried by a J-20, the PL-15 can destroy an aircraft 50km away that is trying to evade it. “The Military Balance” believes that a version of the missile is in the works that will have a cruise speed of Mach 3. "
Stealth is just a tool. It can be defeated. It doesn't matter who has superior weapons. The question is if those weapons can be combined with the implementation of specific tactics to gain some kind of strategic goal.
This has a much longer range than America’s new F-35 fighter and will be a serious threat to American warships in the Pacific."
In the 21st century, serious threats to warships abound. However, when it comes to China, the real question for the US is how well the US can keep China contained, curtailing China's projection of power towards Taiwan, Japan, and other parts of the region. Superior weapons can help, but distance and logistics are still huge factors, which can work to China's advantage sometimes, and against it other times.
In other words, the issue is a lot more complex than who has the "best" stealth fighter.
Ohh no, the PL-10 is no match to any other 5th gen missile. Sapphire domes made it quite easy to spot the propaganda, they really should have that seeker covered during presentations and airshows. The effectiveness of a 5th gen missile depends heavily on its seeker; it doesn't really matter the other performance metrics when it consistently breaks lock due to countermeasures.
Eagerly waiting for the first combat engagement of F-35 with current gen Russian/Chinese SAMS or fighters. It could cement lockheeds future for the next 50 years, or put them in hot water.
I might get my wish soon, as the Israelis just lost an F-16I in the Syrian theater and they might start sending F-35s in for better survivability.
>>Eagerly waiting for the first combat engagement of F-35 with current gen Russian/Chinese SAMS or fighters. It could cement lockheeds future for the next 50 years, or put them in hot water.
Its equally disturbing to those of us who detest war, and war machines, and their 'glorious application' towards inhuman goals.
Honestly, its repulsive to have to deal with the notion of 'shiny death machines being pit against each other for fun and profit', and not let a protest be said, in kind.
For the cost of a single death machine, the will for war could be bought: you just use it to deliver books and medicine and food, instead of death and mayhem and misery.
I think this quote from a Marine F-35B pilot regarding an exercise pretty well says it all:
"I was leading a four ship of F-35s on a strike against 4th Gen adversaries, F-16s and F/A-18s. We fought our way in, we mapped the target, found the target, dropped JDAMs on the target and turned around and fought our way out. All the targets got hit, nobody got detected, and all the adversaries died. I thought, yes, this works, very, very, very well. Never detected, nobody had any idea we were out there."
The F-35B in particular is an amazing piece of engineering, and a vast improvement over any other STOVL aircraft.
The F35 has already been used in theater by the Israeli's as for the F16I downing it seems that they just assumed that they would not be fired upon they were flying at high altitude exactly in the sweet spot of the Iranian and Syrian AA deployed in the region which is what happens when you fly for nearly 30 years with impunity.
The F16I was shot down over Israel not over Syria despite Syria having the capability to shoot down aircraft over the entire territory of Israel pretty much except for it's most southern parts it was always assumed that they would never fire at Israeli jets inside Israel's territory.
Last time when Syria fired at Israeli jets within Syrian territory Israel has uses it's missile defense system to shoot down the Syrian AA missiles however it seems that this time it didn't happen, likely due to the positioning of the jets within Israel.
So for the most part what would happen is that Israel would start taking evasive measures when flying combat sorties even in it's territory, likely go back to the same path it used to take which is fly low over the med then cross into Syria from it's coastline or through Lebanon via the Baalbek valley.
Israel would also likely push more ABM/AM batteries into it's northern parts to provide additional cover to it's air assets as well as potentially start using it's ground based standoff weapons rather than relying solely on air deployed munitions.
Until china/Russia start selling to terrorists or rogue states (or an Iraq-like situation happens again), we will probably never get a chance to find out what is better.
More to the point, many of the capabilities and their effectiveness of each fighters on both sides are probably shroud in secrecy. Engagement would reveal a lot of secrets between both sides, so they are likely to avoid it unless absolutely necessary.
The Israeli media reported that the IAF finished their investigation and blamed the crash on the pilot prioritizing target destruction over survivability, and that a different decision by the pilot would have prevented the loss of the plane.
[+] [-] mtgx|8 years ago|reply
http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security/spy-f35s-s...
[+] [-] insertnickname|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rbanffy|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wrg91237|8 years ago|reply
In some technologies, it has surpassed it"
https://www.economist.com/news/china/21737074-some-technolog...
"in two years’ time, if not before, America is likely to lose its monopoly of radar-beating stealth combat aircraft with the introduction into service of China’s Chengdu J-20. This has a much longer range than America’s new F-35 fighter and will be a serious threat to American warships in the Pacific."
"At least as worrying for American commanders in the region is the dramatic upgrading of China’s inventory of air-to-air missiles (AAMs). The short-range PL-10, which was introduced in 2015, is regarded by military analysts as comparable in performance to Western equivalents, such as the Sidewinder II. This year, the PL-15, a radar-guided “beyond visual range” missile (BVRAAM), should enter service. Carried by a J-20, the PL-15 can destroy an aircraft 50km away that is trying to evade it. “The Military Balance” believes that a version of the missile is in the works that will have a cruise speed of Mach 3. "
[+] [-] georgeecollins|8 years ago|reply
*https://www.thebalance.com/cost-of-afghanistan-war-timeline-...
[+] [-] HumanDrivenDev|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] stcredzero|8 years ago|reply
This has a much longer range than America’s new F-35 fighter and will be a serious threat to American warships in the Pacific."
In the 21st century, serious threats to warships abound. However, when it comes to China, the real question for the US is how well the US can keep China contained, curtailing China's projection of power towards Taiwan, Japan, and other parts of the region. Superior weapons can help, but distance and logistics are still huge factors, which can work to China's advantage sometimes, and against it other times.
In other words, the issue is a lot more complex than who has the "best" stealth fighter.
[+] [-] mithrn|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] AndyMcConachie|8 years ago|reply
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_bribery_scandals
One should be a little skeptical of these kinds of deals and how they are made given their past skeeziness.
[+] [-] protomyth|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Accipitriform|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] farseer|8 years ago|reply
I might get my wish soon, as the Israelis just lost an F-16I in the Syrian theater and they might start sending F-35s in for better survivability.
[+] [-] mmjaa|8 years ago|reply
Its equally disturbing to those of us who detest war, and war machines, and their 'glorious application' towards inhuman goals.
Honestly, its repulsive to have to deal with the notion of 'shiny death machines being pit against each other for fun and profit', and not let a protest be said, in kind.
For the cost of a single death machine, the will for war could be bought: you just use it to deliver books and medicine and food, instead of death and mayhem and misery.
[+] [-] badosu|8 years ago|reply
> I might get my wish soon, as the Israelis just lost an F-16I in the Syrian theater and they might start sending F-35s in for better survivability.
I am very fond of military technology, as it usually pushes a lot of boundaries, but I'd rather having it as a deterrent instead of put to use.
[+] [-] Accipitriform|8 years ago|reply
https://theaviationist.com/2016/12/08/four-of-the-most-exper...
I think this quote from a Marine F-35B pilot regarding an exercise pretty well says it all:
"I was leading a four ship of F-35s on a strike against 4th Gen adversaries, F-16s and F/A-18s. We fought our way in, we mapped the target, found the target, dropped JDAMs on the target and turned around and fought our way out. All the targets got hit, nobody got detected, and all the adversaries died. I thought, yes, this works, very, very, very well. Never detected, nobody had any idea we were out there."
The F-35B in particular is an amazing piece of engineering, and a vast improvement over any other STOVL aircraft.
[+] [-] dogma1138|8 years ago|reply
The F16I was shot down over Israel not over Syria despite Syria having the capability to shoot down aircraft over the entire territory of Israel pretty much except for it's most southern parts it was always assumed that they would never fire at Israeli jets inside Israel's territory.
Last time when Syria fired at Israeli jets within Syrian territory Israel has uses it's missile defense system to shoot down the Syrian AA missiles however it seems that this time it didn't happen, likely due to the positioning of the jets within Israel.
So for the most part what would happen is that Israel would start taking evasive measures when flying combat sorties even in it's territory, likely go back to the same path it used to take which is fly low over the med then cross into Syria from it's coastline or through Lebanon via the Baalbek valley.
Israel would also likely push more ABM/AM batteries into it's northern parts to provide additional cover to it's air assets as well as potentially start using it's ground based standoff weapons rather than relying solely on air deployed munitions.
[+] [-] seanmcdirmid|8 years ago|reply
More to the point, many of the capabilities and their effectiveness of each fighters on both sides are probably shroud in secrecy. Engagement would reveal a lot of secrets between both sides, so they are likely to avoid it unless absolutely necessary.
[+] [-] mullen|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] solatic|8 years ago|reply
https://www.timesofisrael.com/misjudgment-not-negligence-beh...
That's not a decision which implies a tactical switch to the F-35 for that sort of mission.
[+] [-] morsch|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jacquesm|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] junkscience2017|8 years ago|reply
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