He said,"The Air Force will modernize its existing fleet to mitigate delays to the F-35, but Schwartz reiterated that fourth-generation fighters such as the F-15 and F-16 are not effective against the latest anti-access threats like modern integration air defense systems. The older planes lack stealth and don't have integrated avionics, he said."
The F-22 is the only "alternative" sir.
Here is the link to the softball reporting.
4 comments:
Is this entire blog all about bitching how the DoD does everything wrong?
So you are telling me that Schwartz and Donely actually know what they are doing?
What parts of the USAF were you assigned to and what years?
Do you agree with this?
http://www.f-16.net/news_article3370.html
If not, why not?
How can Schwartz and Donely state that there are no alternatives to the F-35 ( clearly false ) when the aircraft has not been cleared for one weapon and only 10 % +/- of flight testing is done.
By the same measure, a flight test engineer, using even the basics of weight, thrust, lift, drag, and.... de-skilling of engineers since the end of the Cold War has stated that this aircraft is in trouble. There are others (not on the payroll and some that are but silent) that agree.
Most likely if your pay-check depends on you thinking that the F-35 is a great product, that is what you will say.
Anon,
Fair comment however, both the US & Aus DoD have done little in recent years to suggest otherwise.
When you look at the all the major programs that are over budget, behind schedule & failing to deliver capabilities promised or intended, you have to wonder who is driving the ship, especially when you consider that the military leadership is still spruiking such programs as the F-35, yes men we do not need.
The outsourcing of manufacturing worldwide as a result of political interference & "under the table deals" resulting in the slow de-skilling of the workforce, as Eric alluded to, has created a military industry that is over priced & extremly inefficient.
To ANON,
I think it would help if we had a general REAL sense of direction and purpose about DOD and programs.
To most of us who have been in the service or follow this stuff for decades now, you have to be pretty much naive, clueless or both NOT to see all problems facing DOD and the lack of REAL responses. Simple question: do you really believe DOD is going to buy 2443 F35s? When this country is facing trillion dollar yearly deficits and trillions in debt, is it realistic? If not, then why are politicians and generals keeping the charade up? That is just one question among probably hundreds..what about KCX, new bomber,new trainer, SSSBX?, numbers of troops (army/marines), foreign basing(Europe), treaties(Taiwan?,Korea?),etc....are we getting realistic answers from DOD and the White House? are you satisfied with the responses you are getting? I'm not.
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