JSF "clubbed like baby seals"

[SD67]

Seems the F35 aint all it's cracked up to be
I already suspected it was a lemon.
We need the F22 not this little toy.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2008/09/11/1220857689496.html

[Motherland]

I didn't know it was possible to have an aircraft uglier than the F22.

[mg1942]

Invest on UCAVs instead! 

It's cheaper overall than investing on manned combat aircraft.  20+ years of investing on F-22 that will only guarantee 5 years of superiority is ridiculous!

Future UCAV operators should be easy to train, and won't be as expensive (or risky) as training pilots to operate manned aircraft.

If USAF goes 95% for UCAV, the number of combat planes flying for mission will be back to WWII levels

Ground controlled UCAVs are the future of combat aircraft!

[FrodeMk3]

Seems the F35 aint all it's cracked up to be
I already suspected it was a lemon.
We need the F22 not this little toy.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2008/09/11/1220857689496.html

Unfortunately, the article didn't happen to mention WHICH simulated Sukhoi's beat it in a computer game.

[Motherland]

nvm

[mg1942]

Judging from the placement of his hands, UCAV's have other advantages beside being less risky.... I wonder what other Windows he has open in the task bar...

...too far?

They need MAC's GUI for EZ access and Red Hat Linux for bullet-proof reliability.

NO wondws!

[Motherland]

nvm

[trax1]

Yeah, UCAV's are the way to go, but I forget what I was watching, but they were talking about this subject and said that pilots in the Airforce don't like the idea of not actually being in the fighters, pilots want to be up in the air flying the jet and not sitting back in a room behind a desk, and the higher up's feel the same way, atleast as of now.

[mg1942]

and btw,

Strength in numbers always win battles... something I believe that UCAVs will have over manned combat aircraft.

IMO a very good recipe for perfect UCAV...

cheap
lightweight
fuel efficient
highly maneuverable (+- 20Gs)
advanced avionics
advanced hardware/software support with bullet-proof reliability

[mg1942]

Yeah, UCAV's are the way to go, but I forget what I was watching, but they were talking about this subject and said that pilots in the Airforce don't like the idea of not actually being in the fighters, pilots want to be up in the air flying the jet and not sitting back in a room behind a desk, and the higher up's feel the same way, atleast as of now.

It's the same feeling that sword-wielding warriors of the past refuse to carry guns because it's against the chivalry code.

They'll get over that feeling once they see the benefits of 100% UCAVs in combat.

[Rollins]

The article doesn't mention how any of the jets stacked up against the Australian designed and built fighter aircraft.  Oh wait...

[mg1942]

How's this for solution...

If you (Australian AF) can't beat them (Sukhois), buy them~!

RAAF should buy some advanced variants of Su-27 family  (especially the ones with 3-D thrust vectoring engines) .  I think Russian government would approve if they only buy the airframe/engine and not the avionics.   Once it's delievered, they could just install Western/USA avionics. 

China gets its Su-27s (J-11 Shenyang) with conditions of only buying the airframe and engine.  J-11's avionics are indigenous.













Here's how the cockpit might look like if installed with Wester/USA/Israeli-style "glass" avionics

[Vulcan]

Current UCAV technology cannot provide a pilot with the visual fidelity an in the cockpit experience provides.

[rpm]

What part of "computer simulation" do you guys not understand? The JSF's main weapons are stealth and BVR kill capabilities.
BTW, were those Aussies piloting the sims? How did US pilots do in the same scenario?

[SD67]

From what I understand it was US pilots flying the F35 in the simulations, the RAAF personnel were there to observe.
I have always viewed the JSF as a fancy piece of junk. It's too much of a compromise, as if it's been cobbled together to try to fit into too many roles.
It's simply the wrong plane for Australia, if we end up flying this here we will regret it and soon.
I cannot see the powers that be purchasing Sukhois. They would be an awesome platform and well suited to use here, but politically it would be a "brave" move. For the most part politicians are not brave people.