Criticism of F35 is unfair. As a military procurement programme it has exceeded all reasonable expectations, at least in terms of meeting its objective.
I think the problem lies with our understandinmg of the objective....
Some of you seem to think it is to bring into service a multi role stealth fighter than can take on any opposition, or something on those lines.
However, you're wrong. the objective is to be a sink hole for money. Objective met with 100% success.
If, at the end of the project, you get a useful bit of kit..... Well, consider that a bonus.

Salute!

Someplace in there, Anglian, I missed /sarc notation.

Gums sends...

The terms China and the width of the Pacific Ocean come to mind.

Salute!

Great point, ORAC, and the F-35 naval variant has more range than anything we have had in the U.S. since the Intruder. I compare with the one I flew in 'nam, and it beat the hell outta the A-4 and F-4.... the lowly Sluf. But range is not the biggie WRT operational capabilities the attack jet must possess now.

When I see the unit cost of the F-35 today, I am surprised. To see a $$ per plane half of what an F-22 cost 15 or 20 years ago is impressive. Oh, BTW, latest numbers show the USAF F-35 mission capable number highest of our fighter/attack inventory. An even bigger surprise. The logistic tail is catching up.

The folks against the F-35 keep using lifetime costs of the plane from cradle to grave. Look at the Viper from 1973, look at the Typhoon or Tornado, look at many and then project into the future. Trying to find actual combat use of the Tiffie, but the 35 has been used by IAF and the U.S. over hostile territory with decent results and no losses best we know.

To be very honest, many of we comat vets that flew in the Gulf and even Viet Nam had our doubts about the "bridge too far" aspects of the F-35. We still do. OTOH, the thing has done well in the big exercises, puts on a helluva good demo for a plane "that could not dogfight" and has actually flown over enema territory a few times.

Gums sends...

Try asking the RAF, the Typhoon has been used in combat against Daesh in Iraq and Syria since late 2015 (Operation Shader).

and Libya iirc (Ellamy)

Wow, that could be messy!

Perhaps, together with a healthy serving of cynicism that comes with age, when you realise how the world really works.;)

British and US Marine F-35s go to war.

I guess this could have gone in the Future Carrier thread as well

airsound

Edited to add that, to no one's surprise, WEBF has already added it to the Future Carrier thread.....

A subdued ‘W00T’.

OK, it’s a milestone. A multi-billion milestone involving dropping bombs on an enemy with no perceptible AD capability. And the £ per Daesh equation is … ?

MPN11,

There is an ongoing multi-national effort against Daesh and ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the UK contributes to that effort. We have 2 assets able to contribute, and we are now using the second one. Why the issue? We are not in an economic war with Daesh, we are eliminating them where we find them, cost is an irrelevance.

I was somewhat tongue in cheek, and should indeed have used a ‘smiley’ as the minimum. Sorry!

I’m obviously glad that UK is ‘in the fight’, and that our best (and most expensive) assets are getting a meaningful outing. I just found the PR blurb a bit OTT, I suppose. “We flew off the ship and did what we were designed to do” doesn’t make great headlines. 😟

Interesting seeing US F35s carrying ASRAAM.

USMC F-35B are not carrying ASRAAM - they are carrying AIM-9X.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e326d96c89.png

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5acc5ed2f7.png

ASRAAM on UK F-35B:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2c77a06fd0.png

From your linked article.
It would appear that the special relationship continues.

This forum really needs a 'like' button!
And perhaps a sarcasm font...

UK applying pressure over certification of Meteor and Spear before making any more orders…..

https://www.defensenews.com/global/e...e-of-the-f-35/

Two reasons Britain could slow its purchase of the F-35

It appears that the AIM-9 and ASRAAM are carried in a nose down position relative to cheatline/flight attitude. Can anyone educate me on the whys or aerodynamics of this mounting?

To align the missile with the local airflow for drag reduction, F-18 is similar. F-35 wing has significant washout.

Switzerland might pick the F-35A according to Swiss media reports. Said to be the cheapest option.