Quote:
Originally Posted by Suhiir
It's really a matter of the F-35B replacing the Harrier.
Even if it's not up to it's potential (real or imagined) it's still and improvement over the Harrier and it's a new aircraft, not one suffering from an old airframe and a critical shortage of parts for maintenance.
Once again I remind people, the F-35 was never designed or intended to be an air superiority aircraft, while the UK Fleet Air Arm will press it into that role, and it will, again, be an improvement over the Harrier, to compare it to the F-22 or any other air superiority aircraft is just plain stupid. Will it have better survivability vs air superiority aircraft then the Harrier or A-10? Yes ... then it's an improvement.
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The Royal Navy may well re-think cat/trap carriers and the F-35B may force her to put to sea American carriers. She will need truely capable fighters to do CAP and fleet defense not souped up Harriers.
No one is comparing the pitiful F-35B to the Raptor. Just pointing out the USAF has Raptors in the event congress stunts the F-35A. The Navy has the Super Hornet and Boeing is close to deliver the much anticipated Super Super Hornet. The USMC may shug along with an F-35B as long as her boats remain under the CAP of the Navy, where the jar heads belong. Or, the Marines may come to their senses and tasks helos with CAS until a F-35B is worked out.
No one is comparing the Raptor to the F-35B. I'm not.
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