PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - F-35 Cancelled, then what ?
View Single Post
Old 19th Sep 2016, 18:05
  #9763 (permalink)  
KenV
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Braunfels, TX
Age: 70
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The only benefit the F-35 has is it's stealth capability, which enhances the range of targeting information to be sent back to other weapon carriers?
Ummmm, no. It has sensors (passive and active) that other current fighters don't have and a highband datalink system that no other aircraft has. However, those sensors and datalinks could (in theory) be retrofitted to other legacy aircraft. What stealth provides longer term is the ability to penetrate contested space, loiter there, and gather the targetting data with those sensors.

Assuming radar improves over time and reduces stealth effectiveness, standoff jammers can degrade radar performance to restore stealth effectiveness. At least that's USN's approach to long term viability (hence the Growler). We'll have to wait and see if things work out that way or not.
KenV is offline