Apparently people no longer want the F35.

Reliance on expensive parts and software updates, reports of a kill switch hidden in the system, US failures to share intelligence, and discussion about attacking a fellow nato country are all giving F35 customers a reason to spend their $83 million per unit elsewhere.

Canada and Portugal are openly looking to replace the F35. The British and Japanese have said nothing but are investing in their own designs.

And Ofcourse there’s the well documented performance issues with the aircraft itself.

Buying a fighter plane is a commitment to the nation producing it. And currently the US is too unstable to commit to.

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Sidewinder · 36-40, M

The F-35!?

I'm more of an F-16 fancier when it comes to jet fighters.

The General Dynamics F-16 Falcon.

A single-seat, single-engine, multi-role fighter.

In the hands of a skllled pilot, it's one of the most nimble fighters of the modern age.

The thing that adds to it's outstanding manuverability is it's fly-by-wire controls.

None of that anticquated rod, cable and pulley mechanism used in the fighters of yesteryear.

hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M

Well that and the fact the bloody thing won't stay in the air. Way too many pilots walking home after their F 35 still in the air.

AdmiralPrune · 41-45, M

@hippyjoe1955 Yeah. A carrier born fighter that doesn’t perform in wet weather. I’ve seen more reliable paper planes.

hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M

@AdmiralPrune And if you bump the wheels on the ground it shuts off your flight controls? Did the designers ever hear of "touch and goes"?

AdmiralPrune · 41-45, M

@hippyjoe1955 Yes I read that too. You’d expect a VTOL aircraft to have robust undercarriage and control surfaces.

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

And "just in time" supply chains and a whole host of other issues along with it's sole selling feature stealth is already obsolete tech. Both Russia and China have proven they can track these aircraft.

Hell ABC News reported the F35 and F22 were obsolete according to the Pentagon in 1996.

Unlearn · 41-45, M

The F-35 is costly, maintenance-heavy, and overengineered for most air forces, offering limited practical advantage over cheaper, proven jets.

Elessar · 31-35, M

GCAP can't happen soon enough (🇬🇧🇮🇹🇯🇵)

AdmiralPrune · 41-45, M

@Elessar Yes it’s a very interesting project.

Roundandroundwego · 61-69

It's important to use only US compatible equipment that the CIA can crash at any time. That's loyalty.

val70 · 51-55

Just remember what the Swordfish did in World War II though

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hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M

@val70 That we know of. Were any destroyed on the ground that we are not told about? Possibly. America builds their aircraft to be high maintenance hanger queens witness the F22;

val70 · 51-55

@hippyjoe1955 On the ground? Any F35 can go down like that too. Only the costs... how much more?

hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M

@val70 Yes the tech that goes into the modern fighter is incredibly expensive. Is it worth it? Never sure. If China can use a $2000 missile to take out your 1/4 billion dollar F 35......

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