tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post4758254063695624109..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: Will the F-35 Be Obsolete Before It Reaches Canadian Hangars?The Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-56477892405371192882013-06-11T16:25:37.363-07:002013-06-11T16:25:37.363-07:00Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to just buy a che...Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to just buy a cheap fridge from Future Shop, sell it on Kijiji and give the box to Potato Pete. He could sit in it and go " Vroom, Vroom" amd save us all millions>rumleyfipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03346146988416679423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-6649401860430559602013-06-11T12:57:35.541-07:002013-06-11T12:57:35.541-07:00Hiding the tribute from the Canadian taxpayer is t...Hiding the tribute from the Canadian taxpayer is the only stealth function that matters.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14162783936999869984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-88981214602394226892013-06-11T09:58:46.167-07:002013-06-11T09:58:46.167-07:00@ Anon 9:40. Standard radar, X or L-band, is just...@ Anon 9:40. Standard radar, X or L-band, is just one method of detecting aircraft. The Australians seem to be having good success at a new form of radar that tracks the air turbulence of an aircraft. There are also infrared and sound tracking. Dual-seeker missiles that use radar and infrared are an obvious threat, particularly to the F-35 with its massive side and rear aspect heat signature.<br /><br />That's a key problem with our approach to stealth - we place way too many of our eggs in that one basket which leaves us enormously vulnerable to counter-measures.<br /><br />And the F-35 gives up a great deal for its dubious stealth advantage. It sacrifices range, payload and, above all else, supercruise. If (when) the stealth cloaking is negated, you're left with a very compromised warplane.<br /><br />I have often found it curious that, because of this obvious fragility, no one is asking for some sort of stealth lifetime warranty from the manufacturer and none is being offered. You would have thought that when you're buying into this risk, Lockheed should have warranted its stealth to remain functional for at least 20-years. They haven't and they won't. Wonder why?The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-9366039874763270942013-06-11T09:48:59.092-07:002013-06-11T09:48:59.092-07:00Well, when it comes to protection against the Russ...Well, when it comes to protection against the Russians or the Chinese (because they're going to be coming over the North Pole any day now and we could totally spend enough on our air force to take them in an air war), surely an F-35 would be less relevant than an air superiority fighter with those L-band radar thingies. I'm not clear on whether putting stealth in would be worth it or whether we'd be better off with like three times as many non-stealthy ones.<br /><br />Alternatively, if the real plan is *not* to start world war III but instead to bomb, and maybe support a bit of infantry in, third world countries like we always do, some A-10s would be way cheaper and carry more ordnance and be able to fly more sorties and be immeasurably better at the ground support part.Purple library guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930984683714519212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-89836132959309338612013-06-11T09:46:48.934-07:002013-06-11T09:46:48.934-07:00@ Anon 9:05. Really? They've been calling th...@ Anon 9:05. Really? They've been calling themselves the "Harper Government" for years.<br /><br />Besides some of us have become familiar over the decades with what a "Canadian government" looks and acts like and this bunch doesn't resemble any Canadian government. The way it has gagged the public service, the way it has gagged the armed forces, the way it most recently gagged the RCMP while turning it into the Royal Conservative Mounted Police, and transforming them all into partisan political agencies, this is not a "Canadian government."The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-74701090797605311322013-06-11T09:40:32.107-07:002013-06-11T09:40:32.107-07:00On some tech site, I stumbled across a design for ...On some tech site, I stumbled across a design for fanatics that are interested in astronomy, meteors, space satellites and other stuff.<br /><br />It pointed to a site where a common ordinary person could buy small sensors for about $25 apiece to detect small meteors and space junk floating around the earth. Just for fun. Plant a small array and watch the sky junk.<br /><br />I think that a rather large array would have no problem seeing the silhouette of the flying junk called "stealth." Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-39307407893558373572013-06-11T09:05:44.427-07:002013-06-11T09:05:44.427-07:00It is not the Harper Government...it is the Canadi...It is not the Harper Government...it is the Canadian Government.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-59654595610871699822013-06-10T22:43:19.892-07:002013-06-10T22:43:19.892-07:00Ah yes, Anon. It is good that you acknowledge the...Ah yes, Anon. It is good that you acknowledge the F-35 to be a light attack bomber intended to operate in heavily-defended, hostile airspace where systems such as the S-300/400 SAMS are deployed.<br /><br />The question becomes, however, whether the light attack bomber is a suitable role for the only warplane to be operated by the RCAF?<br /><br />You are quite mistaken in suggesting that the F-22 exists as an "option" for Canada or any other allied air force. It would certainly be preferable to the relatively limited F-35 but the Americans foreclosed any possibility of acquiring that a good long time ago.<br /><br />And you're not breaking it to anyone that radical new technologies are very expensive and difficult to develop. Odd that you seem to think otherwise.<br /><br />Yet when you're developing these difficult and hyper-expensive technologies and yet safeguard the data and design information so poorly that the intended adversary can filch much of it, this makes you wonder what is the point?<br /><br />As for "protection" against the newest offering from the Russians and Chinese on what basis do you contend those to present an offensive threat to Canada? If they were to attack us it would not be with Pak-50s, J-20s or J-30s.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-70356507964568498392013-06-10T20:47:11.021-07:002013-06-10T20:47:11.021-07:00The reason the F-35 was brought into being was the...The reason the F-35 was brought into being was the correct view that Russia would expand the export of S-300/400 systems, along with associated support SAM systems that form low to high altitude coverage against 4th generation aircraft. <br /><br />The F-35 was designed in large to fight against such systems with a combination of stealth and electronic warfare, such as active jamming. <br /><br />I hate to break it to everyone here but 5th generation fighters are very expensive and difficult to develop. If the writer would like a higher level of protection against the newest offerings from the Russian and Chinese (that will no doubt experience their own development hell) then the only option is to pay for a unit of F/A-22s to operate in Canadian airspace. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-57177431890276167992013-06-10T20:10:55.201-07:002013-06-10T20:10:55.201-07:00When it comes to the F-35 and why it continues to ...When it comes to the F-35 and why it continues to be sold and bought, I am irresistibly reminded of Robocop. Shortly after this unforgettable scene, where the police robot malfunctions and shreds an executive, <br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9l9wxGFl4k<br />the guy pushing it rants to his rival,<br />"I had a guaranteed military sale with ED209! Renovation program! Spare parts for 25 years! Who cares if it worked or not!"<br />Yeah.Purple library guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930984683714519212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-39110512600204543622013-06-10T16:21:13.953-07:002013-06-10T16:21:13.953-07:00I agree, Boris. There is a stampede to get this t...I agree, Boris. There is a stampede to get this thing and it eclipses all of this aircraft's weaknesses and all of the questions that simply go unasked. I'd love to know what we have for a back-up plan if we find the 35's stealth effectively neutralized? There is some speculation that China and Russia are delighted that their potential adversaries are saddling themselves with these warplanes.<br /><br />@ Rumley - the first generation of stealth fighters are being built in contemplation of "peer on peer" conflict, a real shooting war, likely in east and southeast Asia. Google "Operation Chimichanga" and you'll see what I mean.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-55134187097826329422013-06-10T15:30:34.383-07:002013-06-10T15:30:34.383-07:00What enemy. Wars are now fought against unarmed ci...What enemy. Wars are now fought against unarmed civilian populations. Stealth is not needed when bombing small family homes, hospitals and schools; none of which shoot back.rumleyfipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03346146988416679423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-81022832362234856762013-06-10T14:07:13.468-07:002013-06-10T14:07:13.468-07:00The thing is it is both the H-gov't and the se...The thing is it is both the H-gov't and the senior air staff that are tripping over themselves to get this thing, inspite of all of the things wrong with it. Would be nice to find air force leaders who started their thinking with the assumption the enemy would be at or a generation ahead in tech and their own ops would be flown from austere facilities at least marginally exposed to attack, not safe and sunny airstrips in Italy. You know, like every other air war prior Kosovo. Even the Iraqis could hit back the first go around there - ask the RAF.Borishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00952672409601421466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-67690928395879320512013-06-10T13:52:15.127-07:002013-06-10T13:52:15.127-07:00The only stealth the F35s require is stealth again...The only stealth the F35s require is stealth against the Canadian taxpayers. And in that regard, this aircraft is incredibly stealthy.<br /><br />Not many Canadians understand, or even care, about this purchase. Even though we will be spending billions of dollars on this purchase.<br /><br />Me, I'm looking for another country.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com