Hey I'm Raptor man 01, we agree on that Jr. Flateric had some russian docs he would send me, but I can't translate them, I told him you I can't wait for the first mock fights between the F-35 and the Raptor, it will be a turkey shoot.LOL
Agreed...but that would be using the Lightning II for what it was not intended.
It is a strike fighter...primarily meant to put ordinance on the ground.
If it goes into an enviironment where air superiority is still contested, and where there may be other 5th gen fighters contesting that space, it better have some honest to gosh 5th gen air superiority fighters escorting it. Like the F-22.
The F-22 is a fighter jock's fighter. Meant for air superiority and dominance and taking on all comers in that areana.
The F-35 is meant to carry ordinance to the enemy surface (ground or ships) and then be able to adequately mix it up against equal to or lesser air opponentns who stand in the way of its principle mission.
As long as they use ot for that, it will do fine.
In a Sea Control role where it does take up fleet defense, again, as long as it's equal to or less than...it'll do fine. It has stealth and suprioer training and weapons than the vast majority of those whom they may face. But if something like the F-22 is coming along to clear the space...then the F-35 is going to be in a heap of trouble.
That's why the US needs 500 or more F-22s and not 195 or whatever rediculously low number it is. Itr is also why the US NAvy needs a new Air Superiority/dominance fighter for fleet defense to take the place of the F-14, which has never really happened, though the Superhornet outfitted for fleet defense with AMRAAMs is about as good a split decision as you will get. A newdedicated air superiority fighter is needed and is what I would push for.
See my
