Unfinished, F-35B has been put into combat
After many trials and delays to fix, super fighter F-35B Lightning II US Marines finally be put into official use.
After many trials and delays to fix, super fighter F-35B Lightning II US Marines finally be put into official use. This is a form of advanced fighter jets and also the most expensive in US history, to complete this project the US Air Force had to spend up to 500 billion dollars, a figure unthinkable in US military history .
The aircraft has now completed the test phase IOC (Initial Operational Capability) and can be belligerent now. Gen. Joseph Dunford, forces US Marines said:
"The fighters 5th generation of this will change the way modern warfare. F-35B is a fighter form multitasking, it can perform tasks from the escort, reconnaissance, aerial combat, bombing, defense ... A fleet of F-35B can replace most other combat aircraft. "
Since the first version was introduced in 2006, there have been many times the project was delayed and exceed your budget allows. By 2010, the amount to develop the F-35 has exceeded the initial budget by more than 50% and by 2012, because too tired of delays, so the Ministry of Defense had to reduce the required standards to act in order to avoid having to redesign the aircraft once again.
F-35B is the version for the Marines, while the F-35A is the standard version for the US Air Force will launch later this year. F-35C longer version for the Navy will have to wait until 2018.
F-35B so that the first version of the next-generation fighter aircraft 5th was officially put into use. However, according to the experts, this aircraft still exists a lot of errors and has not really improved.
One of the great failings of the current F-35B is the software that controls weapon systems of the aircraft, known as "Block 3F". This is a software system that helps pilots can control and use the most advanced weapons equipped on the F-35B, which must mention the GPS-guided bombs, short range guided bomb lasers, missiles and rockets not infrared.
While Block 3F system is extremely important and indispensable, it must wait until 2019 to this new software is complete. That means the F-35B currently can not use sophisticated weapons it has.
That's not to mention the recent test version of the F-35 is still very much remains to be finalized.But according to senior officials of Lockheed Martin said, this is the reason why this super fighters defeated F-16 aircraft in an exercise.
| F-35 | F-16 |
Role: stealth fighter multifunctional, capable bombers with bombs and air to air combat.
First flight: December 2006.
Costs (excluding engines):
F-35A - 98 million.
F-35B - 104 million.
F-35C - 116 million.
Quantities are produced (as of November 2014): 115 pcs.
Maximum speed: 1930 km / h.
Weapons:
- Laser-guided weapons and infrared SBD II.
- 1 cannon GAU-12 / U 25mm - F-35A mounted in the fuselage with 180 rounds or externally mounted F-35B and F-35C with 220 rounds.
- The fuselage, up to 4 missiles AIM-120 AMRAAM not, Sidewinder AIM-9X and AIM-132 missiles ASRAAM or 2 no and 2 for land missiles.
- Brimstone anti-armor missiles. MBDA Meteor air missile.
- Weapons for can not bring (both inside and outside the body), including 12 missiles AIM-120 and AIM-9 missile 2; 2,000 lb or 6 bombs, two AIM-120 missiles and two AIM-9 missiles.
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Role: Machine bau multifunctional fighter.
First flight: January 1974.
Costs (excluding engines):
F-16A / B - 14.6 million.
F-16C / D - 18.8 million.
Quantities are produced (as of November 2014): more than 4540 units.
Maximum speed: 2120 km / h.
Weapons:
- Cannon 20 mm (0787 in) M61 Vulcan Gatling, 511 rounds of ammunition.
- Cannon 70 mm CRV7.
- Air to air missiles: AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 MRAAM, Python-4.
- To-ground missiles: AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM.
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The opinion given that the F-35 involved this exercise has not been painted anti-stealth coating so it can disable enemy radar aircraft. Second, it may not use the most advanced weapons system software due to lack of control as stated above.
Finally due to the design of the helmet-half billion dollars worth really makes the driver very difficult to look around. We can say this hat is a disaster for the pilot, while the developers advertise the most advanced technologies are integrated to help the driver control every situation happening around. But in fact it's just frustration when not been finalized.
Perhaps the F-35 program has lost too much time and money, as has been delayed so many times that forced officials to pressure for this program have been completed. But promoting such progress can cause huge consequences.
Especially when the F-35B can not currently use the most modern weapons. It raises a big question mark whether the supercar fighter will do what when in combat.
While the developers of this project has always advertise all words with the most modern technology, the best feature is integrated in the aircraft. Royal Air Force is one of the largest customers, with 138 F-35 has been set to a value of $ 19 billion.
Reference: Dailymail
