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F35 Analysis

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Program history

F35 is designed to be LO interceptor / tactical bomber / ground attack / reconnaissance / aircontroller and intelligence plane built in CTOL, STOVL, and CATOBAR variants.

As Chuck Spinney puts it: "The problem was that each service had very different requirements. TheAir Force wanted 1,763 cheap bombing trucks to replace F-16s and A-10s; the Navy wanted 480

"first day-of-the-war" deep-strike stealth bombers to compete with the Air Force in strategicbombing; and the Marines, still haunted by the ghosts of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher andGuadalcanal, wanted to replace aging Harriers and conventional F/A-18s with 609 short takeoffvertical landing (STOVL) JSFs that will operate from big-deck amphibious assault ships if need

be."

In 2002, order was reduced by 400 planes, from 2853 to 2443 planes, and it is looking at furtherreduction. If F22 is any indication, US might end up with 713 planes, which will then cost 538million USD per plane (F22s cost 490 million USD per plane as of 2012), and produce 383,6 billiontotal program expense. However, as with F22, F35 is simply too big to fail.

YF35 was even more limited than YF22 as technological demonstrator, and winner was determined

by a flyoff demonstrating only low-speed handling, STOVL capability, and producibility with atleast 70% parts commonality. Competitive prototyping, including working out bugs before large-scale production, was absent in both programmes. LRIP, meanwhile, escalates costs of any changesto design, essentially cementing it as well as allowing contractor to build up powerful politicalalliances by establishing nation-wide network of subcontractors. When weapon becomes obviousfailure on performance and economical goals, it is already impossible to cancel, thus freeingcontractor from obligation of having to fulfill its performance and cost promises.

Developing engine has incurred cost overruns of as much as 850 million USD.

There are also quite a few issues with the plane as well:

upper lift fan door actuator problems ejection seat and pilot escape system failed tests

problems with restarting engine if it flames out in flight

braking on wet runaway is deficient

four above issues were known in 2011; reported cost to fix them was 30 million USDper plane in lots 2-5

Also, it is not one airplane for three services; with part commonality of 30%, it is basically threedifferent airplanes, with only looks being similar.

Costs

Like F22, F35 is more famous for its perpetual increase in costs than for its hyped abilities. Thereare many reasons for such increase, such as false cost estimates made by Lockheed Martin, reducedorders and problems with aircraft itself. Official numbers are 122 million USD as a flyaway cost,and 150 million USD as unit procurement cost. However, these numbers are outdated.

Calculation, from data below, gives actual program cost, without accounting for planes themselves,of 235,87 billion USD.

Unit costsIn 2011, one F35 had a unit flyaway cost of 207,6 million USD and unit procurement cost of 304,15million USD, as opposed to official numbers of 122 million and 140-150 million USD, respectively.

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Developmental costs have increased due to many patch-ups (such as structural strengthening of rearfuselage) and fixes; costs were additionaly increased by abandonment of "fly before you buy"

policy some aircraft were bought before development was finished, and thus had to be brought upto standard later which is extremely expensive.

Maintenance and operating costs

F35s estimated cost per hour of flight is 35 200 USD in 2012 dollars. And that is for F35A, CTOLvariant which, logically, should be easiest to maintain. Also, a leaked Pentagon report estimated thatCanada's fleet of 65 aircraft will cost 24 billion USD to maintain over next 30 years.

Strategical analysis

Effects of numbers

Effects of numbers are various. First, fewer planes means that these same planes have to do more

tasks and fly more often, therefore accumulating flight ours faster and reaching designed structurallife limit faster. Also, smaller force will attrite faster; more flight hours per plane will mean lesstime available for proper maintenance as well as greater wear and tear put on planes, furtherreducing already limited numbers.

In combat, side capable of putting and sustaining greater number of planes in the air will be able toput a larger sustained pressure on the enemy.

F35s shortcomings force size and quality

F35, as it is obvious, is NOT a "low cost, affordable solution". With its flyaway cost of over 200million USD, it is more expensive than F15, let alone F16 it is supposed to replace. Moreover, its

low reliability and high maintenance requirements are going to reduce that number even more.

Effects of training

Wars in history such as Yom Kippur War, Croatian War for Independence or Ottoman invasion ofEurope have proved dangers of overreliance on technology as replacement for doctrine, tacticsand training. Whenever technology has been solely relied on, it had failed.

F35 does not have a double-seat version, therefore harming training further; which is exceptionallynoticeable with high training requirements for complicated operations like vertical landings.Simulators, meanwhile, cannot replace training meaning that lack of training in two-seat STOVL

variant will result in preventable accidents.

Strategic bombing

Whereas from World War II to modern day, Close Air Support missions carried out by variety ofaircraft perhaps most famous being WW2 German Stuka dive-bomber and modern A10 Close AirSupport plane were very effective at winning the wars, strategic bombing missions were a failure.

It can be safely said that Germans lost World War 2 due to spending too much on strategic bombers,and too less on Stukas. Despite the fact that one multi-engined bomber cost as much as five Stukas,five times more bombers were produced than Stukas out of 114 000 aircraft produced byGermany in World War 2, 25 000 were heavy bombers, but only 4 900 were Stukas. If investment in

heavy bombers had been transferred to Stukas, 130 000 Stukas would have been produced.

At Dunkirk, RAF lost 60 aircraft, mostly fighters Luftwaffe lost 240, mostly heavy bombers. And

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while British shipping took a fearful beating 6 destroyers lost, 23 warships damaged, 230 smallerships and boats were lost losses were caused primarily by Stukas.

Meanwhile, Allied strategic bombing failed to do as much as scratch on German war production while in beginning of 1940, monthly production figure for Me-109 was 125, it was 2 500 in autumnof 1944. If that figure had been reached in 1940, Battle for Britain would have taken completelydifferent course.

During German attack on Russia, strategic bombers failed to do anything except consuming scarcefuel. Strategic bombers were part of Soviet retaliation on attack Me-109s shot down 179 of these.Meanwhile, only 300 Stukas were present to cover entire front utterly understrength whencompared to what was required to exploit numerous opportunities for turkey shoots thatdisorganized Red Army presented during its wild retreat. It is safe to say that Stukas could havewon the war in the Eastern Front for Germany but they were not given enough attention.

During 1941, Luftwaffe had lost 1798 heavy bombers from the beginning number of 1339. Stukalosses were 366 from the beginning number of 456. Also, during same year, several Stuka raidssank Soviet battleship "Marat". The cost of all 4 900 Stukas produced during 10-year period wascca 25 million USD about same as the battleship. Meanwhile, British sent 299 heavy bomberattacks against German ships "Gneiseau", "Scharnhorst" and "Prinz Eugen", which were in harbourright over the Channel. 299 attacks and 8 000 sorties later, they accomplished nothing, aside fromlosing 43 bombers (and no fighters) and 247 men. When ships moved in 1942, British sent heavy

bombers to stop them, losing 60 aircraft and 345 airmen. Meanwhile, two highest-scoring Stukapilots on the Eastern front had a score of 518 and cca 300 tank kills, respectively.

Similarly, V-1 and V-2 missiles achieved close to nothing and 6 000 V2s equaled cost of 48 000tanks (it should also be noted that Germany produced a total of 29 000 tanks during entire war) or24 000 fighter planes.

In Great Britain, sir Arthur Harris was convinced that his bombers could kill enough Germancivilians to force Germany to capitulate. It did not work not only losses in heavy bombers during1942 totaled 1402 heavy bombers (while total number of heavy bombers in service during sameyear never went above 500), but it did not achieve any effect German war production soared.

During First Gulf War, high-altitude bombing by B-52s and F-16s against dug-in Iraqi forces was asineffective as above-discussed strategic bombing campaigns. 300 high-altitude sorties were flowndaily by F16s, without effect. On the other hand, two A10s and single AC130 demolished Iraqiconvoy moving towards Saudi city of Khafji 58 out of 71 targets were destroyed.

In Kosovo, 78-day strategic bombing by NATO against Serbia achieved nothing.

In Second Gulf War, "Shock and Awe" 10-day strategic bombing campaign achieved nothing.Saddam's regime toppled 21 days after beginning of ground invasion.

Tactical analysis

BVR combat

Since development of first BVR weapons, each new generation of fighters would make someonedeclare that "dogfighting is a thing of past". Invariably, they have been wrong. In 1960, F4 Phantomwas designed without gun and then Vietnam happened.

US went into Vietnam relying on a AIM-7 Sparrow radar-guided missile. Pre-war estimated Pk was0,7 Pk demonstrated in Vietnam was 0,08. Current AIM-120 has demonstrated Pk of 0,59 in

combat do this date, with 17 missiles fired for 10 kills. However, that is misguiding.

Since advent of BVR missile until 2008, 588 air-to-air kills were claimed by BVR-equipped forces.

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24 of these kills were by BVR missile. Before "AMRAAM era", four out of 527 kills were by BVRmissile. Since 1991, 20 out of 61 kills were done by BVR missile, while US itself has recorded tenAIM-120 kills. However, four were NOT from beyond visual range; US fighters fired 13 missiles toachieve 6 BVR kills; Iraqi MiGs were fleeing and non-maneuvering, Serb J-21 had no radar, as wasthe case with Army UH-60 (no radar, did not expect attack), while Serb MiG-29's radars wereinoperative; there was no ECM use by any victim, no victim had comparable BVR weapon, and

fights involved numerical parity or US numerical superiority.In Vietnam, Pk was 28% for gun, 15% for Sidewinder, 11% for Falcon, 8% for Sparrow, andessentially zero for Phoenix. Cost of expendables per kill was few hundred dollars for gun, 15 000USD for Sidewinder, 90 000 USD for Falcon, 500 000 USD for Sparrow, and several millions forPhoenix. Overall cost for destroying enemy with BVR missiles including training, and requiredground support has never been computed.

In Cold War era conflicts involving BVR missiles Vietnam, Yom Kipuur, Bekaa Valley 144(27%) of kills were guns, 308 (58%) heat-seeking missiles, and 73 (14%) radar-guided missiles.Vast majority of radar-guided missile kills (69 out of 73, or 95%) were initiated and scored withinvisual range. In true BVR shots, only four out of 61 were successful, for a Pk of 6,6 %.

In Desert Storm itself, F15s Pk for Sidewinders was 67% as compared to Pk for BVR Sparrow of34%. However, Iraqi planes did not take evasive actions or use ECM, while there was persistentAWACS availability on Coalition part none of which can be counted at in any serious war.

Post-Desert Storm, there were 6 BVR shots fired by US during operation Southern Watch allmissed.

There are other examples of radar missile engagements being unreliable: USS Vincennes shot downwhat it thought was attacking enemy fighter, and downed Iranian airliner, while two F14s firedtwice at intruding Lybian fighters, missing them at BVR with radar-guided Sparrows and shootingthem down in visual range with a Sparrow and Sidewinder.

BVR combat cannot for obvious reason fulfill critical requirement of visual identification. IFF isunreliable it can be copied by the enemy, and can be tracked; meaning that forces usually shut itdown. As such, fighter planes have to close to visual range to visually identify target which is,depending on weather conditions, 400 to 800 meters.

WVR combat

In Desert Storm, US forces fired 48 WVR missiles, achieving 11 kills, for Pk of 0,23. However,historically, Pk for IR missiles was 0,15, and 0,308 for cannon. While F16s fired 36 Sidewindersand scored zero kills, at least 20 of launches were accidental, due to bad joystick ergonomy, whichwas later modified.

F35s shortcomings in air combat

F35 is overweight and underpowered with a wing loading of 446 kg/m^2 and thrust-to-weightratio of 1,07 (at empty weight), it cannot hope to outmaneuver any modern fighter plane evenancient MiG-21s, with wing loading of 308 kg/m^2 can outmaneuver it. Actually, F35's wingloading is slightly worse than F105 Thunderchief.

Indeed, many fire safeties had to be removed to save weight.

Sukhoi fighters, which many countries which are member of the program want it to counter (UKwill use far more capable Typhoons in AtA role, instead using F35 as self-defensible tactical

bomber, which it is), are far more capable than F35 in air combat.Number of different capabilities and electronical systems in airplane necessitates second crewmember luxury that no F35 variant can provide. Task saturation can, and often does, result in

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"close calls" and mishaps. Place for second crew member was not put in due to vertical landingrequirement. Airborne Air Controller missions also require second crew member in F/A-18 D/F,that work is done by Weapons and Sensors Operator (WSO) in back seat.

F35s shortcomings in WVR combat

F35 is, so much is obvious, designed as tactical bomber with limited capacity of self-defense. Itsmaximum G load is 7 9, depending on version (7 G for F35B, 7,5 for F35C and 9 for F35A),versus 9 which is standard for modern fighter planes. Last time 7 Gs were an acceptable

performance was Vietnam war. Its wing loading is high 526 kg/m^2, worse than the famous F-105"Lead Sled", and thrust-to-weight ratio is 0,87, at loaded weight.

Its high wing and thrust loadings, as shown above, do not allow F35 to achieve maneuverabilityrequired for a modern front line fighter. It is double inferior in both wing and thrust loading tomost modern fighter planes. It also does not have a bubble cockpit; pilot's rearward visibility isliterally zero, while its weapons, which require doors to open, do not offer it ability to performdogfight-critical "snapshots" in order to shoot down enemy aircraft. It's large frontal crossectiondoes not allow it to achieve acceleration comparable to fourth generation aricraft, such as Rafale,Typhoon, Gripen or F16.

It is also very noisy and relatively large aircraft, making it very detectable at visual range.

F35s shortcomings in BVR combat

First, it is not stealthy at all. Stealth is measured against five signatures infrared, sound, visual,and radar footprint as well as electronic emissions. Visual, by definition, is not important for BVRcombat; but sound and infrared signature are impossible to lower enough for plane to be VLO,especially when supersonic. While it is not a shortcoming by itself, legacy fighters not even makingany effort to lower it, it becomes one when coupled by its low numbers and maximum of two BVR

missiles carried in VLO configuration essentially necessitating use of 6 to 8 F35s to kill a singletarget (growth to four BVR missiles is planned, halving numbers given). On better note, F35 isequipped with IRST; however, it is optimized for ground attack.

While F35s only hope to survive air combat is to "launch and leave", its maximum speed of Mach1,5 means that most fighter planes in the world can easily overtake it and shoot it down with gun,if necessary. Also, it means that its missiles won't have very good kinematic performance.

F35 shortcomings in ground attack missions

F35 is completely incapable of providing close air support. First, many major safety measures in

regards to fire safety have been dropped due to increasing cost. Second, its high wing loading andhigh drag make it unable to slow down, and its lack of maneuverability, thin skin as well as fact thatengine is literally surrounded by fuel which is also used to cool down aircraft's skin coupledwith lack of fire safety measures, make it extremely vulnerable, and unable to go low enough andslow enough to provide effective close air support.

Inability of fast jest to provide effective close support was graphically demonstrated when, inAfghanistan war, 2001, 30-man combined US/Afghan team was ambushed by 800 Talibans. SingleB1B which was nearby tried to help, but couldn't fly low and slow enough to reliably identifytargets. Two A10s were sent - as soon as they opened fire with cannons, Taliban attack ceased, andA10s covered team for next 6 hours. (Taliban also tried to negotiate a release of some capturedANA members if US team was to call off A10 support).

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Comparasion with other planes

F16

F16 is far better fighterandbomber than F35. F16 does not carry weapons internally, allowing it tofire off shots quickly. Its cockpit visibility is far superior to that of F35; it has lower wing loading

(431 vs 526 kg/m^2 loaded) and higher thrust-to-weight ratio (1,08 vs 0,87).Cost issue is completely in favor of F16. Whereas F35 has unit procurement cost of over 200million USD, F16s unit procurement cost is 60 million USD for latest model, easily giving it 10:3advantage in numbers.

In Gulf War I, F16s flew 13 340 sorties, and had 3 confirmed losses to enemy action, 7 losses total;thus, loss rate was one plane per 4460 sorties for confirmed combat losses, or one plane per 1900sorties for total losses both far better than F117. In Kosovo war, one F16 was shot down out of4500 sorties.

F18F18 is also better fighter and bomber than F35. Unlike F35, which can only carry two 900-kg

bombs without becoming non-stealthy, F18 can carry a total of 6 200 kg of external ordnance andfuel. Also, it costs up to 57 million USD, enabling numerical advantage of 3,6 to 1, in essence beingable to deliver 12 times more payload for same unit cost and that without going into its superiorsortie rate.

Its wing loading of 441 kg/m^2 and thrust-to-weight ratio of 0,96 (both for loaded) are superior tothese of F35. Also, its cockpit design allows for rear visibility, unlike F35.

A10

In over 8 000 daytime missions in Gulf War One, A10 suffered 3 losses to IR missiles in otherthree cases, plane was hit but returned to base safely. Meanwhile, 83 % of A10s that were hit madea safe landing. In Gulf War and Kosovo campaigns, A10s flew 12 400 sorties while suffering 4losses a one loss per 3100 sorties, far less than F117, which had 1 loss per 1300 sorties.

In Afghanistan in 2001, 4-man US special ops team leading 26 ANA troops was ambushed by 800Taliban. B1B bomber, sent to do "close support", failed to achieve any effect. Team leader, sgt.Osmon, asked for A10s. Two A10s were sent after A10s opened fire with their cannons, Talibanceased attack and dispersed. A10s escorted team during entirety of next 6 hours, a trip that wouldhave normally taken 2 hours.

That only serves to prove what is obvious to everyone but most close-minded people: that F35 hasno capacity whatsoeverto perform Close Air Support missions it is too vulnerable, so it cannot flyas low and as slow as CAS missions require it to fly; it does not have a required loiter time inefficient aerodynamics, small wing and large weight necessitate both high speed and high fuelconsumption for it to stay in the air; and it lacks armament required to perform such missions, suchas specialized cannon like GAU-8 A-10 is equipped with.

Rafale

Rafale has wing loading of 307 kg/m^2, and thrust-to-weight ratio of 1,1, loaded. Moreover, itsclose-coupled canards provide additional boost to its maneuverability, and it is equipped with

advanced IRST and weapons systems. Its price 90,5 million USD flyaway, 145,7 million USDunit program cost for most expensive variant also mean that it is also far superior design fromstrategic standpoint, easily providing 2:1 advantage for same price.

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F117

In Gulf War I, 42 F117s generated, at 0,7 sorties per day, less than 1300 sorties out of 33 000 flown,and made 2 000 laser-guided bomb attacks. Out of 15 SAM batteries in Baghdad reported attacked

by F117s on first night, 13 continued to operate these 15 strikes were also only strikes launchedby F117s during war.

While F117s did have zero losses, as opposed to 2 F16s, and 4 A10s lost, night was a much safercombat environment than day, and the F-117 flew only at night. Two squadrons of A-10s flew atleast as many night sorties as the F-117. Their losses were the same as the F-117s: zero. F-111Fsalso flew at night and also had no losses.

The A-10s and the F-117s flew in both the first Gulf war and the next war in Kosovo in 1999. Theday-flying A-10s suffered a total of four losses in both wars. The night-flying F-117s suffered twocasualties, both to radar missiles in Kosovo. However, F117 suffered 1 loss per 1 300 sorties, asopposed to 1 loss per 3 100 sorties for A10 in Kosovo and First Gulf War (F117 has flown 2 600sorties in both wars, compared to 12 400 for A10).

In Kosovo war, Serbs launched 845 radar-guided SAMs 2 F117s and one F16 were hit, for

effectiveness rate of 0,36 %.

B2

F35 will be far less capable bomber than B2. Unlike B2, which was designed for nighttime low-level penetration and similarly low-level bombing, F35, being designed for daytime operations, andhaving far higher wing loading (446 vs 329 kg/m^2) cannot fly as low and slow, making it unable toreliably hit small targets. F35 is also far smaller, and has shape reminiscent of legacy fighters,making it more vulnerable to VHF radars. Compared to B2, which can carry 80 230-kg GPS-guided

bombs, F35 will, in stealth configuration, carry two 910 kg (A and C models) or two 450 kg (Bmodel) weapons, and unlike B2, it cannot carry long-range air-to-surface standoff weapons.

While B2 is seven times as expensive as F35, it does not have to be built in so large numbers(necessitated by F35 being replacement for five different airframes) and is easily several times aseffective as F35 in bombing role; its size and shape also make it, in theory, harder to detect by lowfrequency radars, albeit its RAM is useless against them. Downside of B2 is that it cannot defenditself if it is detected (by IRST, for example); and while F22s in service may be used to provide it,they will be detected by VHF radars.

However, above theorizing is made noot by reports that B2 "has radar that cannot distinguish a raincloud from a mountainside, has not passed most of its basic tests and may not be nearly as stealthyas advertised". While B2 is able to "hug" the ground to evade radar, legacy platforms can beequipped with same systems and radar used for that type of flying can easily be detected (as

proven in Vietnam, where several F111s were lost due to that radar). Also, like F22, it is vulnerableto rain specifically, its stealth coating is.

Moreover, B2 carries only 4 times more payload than F16 despite costing at 2.2 billion FY 1995USD per plane or 3,17 billion in FY 2010 USD - 52 times more. It is also maintenance-demanding, requiring environment-controlled hangars which exist only at Whiteman AFB if theseare destroyed, maintenance of B2 will be rendered impossible. To add injury to an insult, duringentire Kosovo war, 21-plane, 66-billion USD B2 fleet delivered a meager one sortie per day. 715A10s, bought for cost of 4 B2s, were procured, and 132 A10s sent to First Gulf War managed togenerate over 200 sorties per day.

One more problem is that B2 has design lifespan of only 30 years as such, it costs 8 300 USD perhour, regardless of whether it is flying or not.

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Su-27 variants

All Su-27 variants are capable of defeating F35 in one-on-one combat, due to combination of IRST,RWR, and good maneuverability. Moreover, they are cheaper than F35 (Su-35 has estimated cost of45 to 55 million USD, enabling them to outnumber it as much as four to one).

MiG-21MiG-21PFM from first half of 1960-s has wing loading of 339 kg/m^2 and thrust-to-weight ratio of0,79 at gross weight; MiG-21-93 has wing loading of 384 kg/m^2, and thrust-to-weight ratio of 0,8at gross weight. As such, both fighters can outmaneuver F35, while F35 probably can outacceleratethem. However, both have advantage in that they don't require weapon bays' doors to open beforefiring a shot, and even ability of F35 to outaccelerate MiG-21 can be questioned, due to badaerodynamical profile of former.

Aircraft comparision table

Thrust-to-weight ratio at 50% fuel:

F35A: 1,07, F35B: 1,04, F35C: 0,91

Typhoon: 1,35

Rafale: 1,3

Wing loading:

F105: 452 kg/m2 @ takeoff weight

F35A: 408 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel; 745 kg/m2 @ max takeoff weightF35B: 416 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel; 639 kg/m2 @ max takeoff weight

F35C: 326 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel; 512 kg/m2 @ max takeoff weight

Typhoon: 262 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel; 459 kg/m2 @ max takeoff weight

Rafale C: 259 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel; 536 kg/m2 @ max takeoff weight

Rafale B: 265 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel;

Rafale M: 275 kg/m2 @ 50% fuel;

Counter-stealth technologies

Stealth versus classical radar

Su-27s radar performance has doubled over past 8 years, and by 2020 Flanker family radars will beable to detect VLO targets at over 46 kilometers. Also, US stealth planes fly mission with sameradar jamming escorts that accompany legacy platforms.

During the Gulf War, the British Royal Navy infuriated the Pentagon by announcing that it haddetected F-117 stealth fighters from 40 miles away with 1960s-era radar. The Iraqis used antiquatedFrench ground radars during that conflict, and they, too, claimed to have detected F-117s. TheGeneral Accounting Office, Congress' watchdog agency, tried to verify the Iraqi claim, but thePentagon refused to turn over relevant data to GAO investigators.

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Also, even modern VLO planes have to operate alongside jamming planes, such as EA-6B or EA-18, when performing ground attack, confirming that even legacy radars are far from useless againstVLO planes.

Main way to reduce plane's radar signature is shaping stealth coating simply deals with last fewpercentages. Which means that F35 is going to blow its radar stealth as soon as it maneuvers;additionally, its stealth capability was far lower than that of F22 from get-go.

VHF radar

While VLO planes are optimized to defeat S- and X- -band radars, VHF radars offer a goodcounter-stealth characteristics.

Simply put, RCS varies with the wavelenght because wavelength is one of inputs that determinesRCS area.

VHF radars have wavelengths in 1-3 meter range, meaning that key shapings of 19-meter-long,13,5-meter-wide F22 are in heart of either resonance or Rayleigh scattering region. Same applies forF35.

Rayleigh scattering region is region where wavelength is larger than shaping features of target ortarget itself. In that region, only thing that matters for RCS is actual physical size of target itself.

Resonance occurs where shaping features are comparable in wavelength to radar, resulting ininduced electrical charges over the skin of target, vastly increasing RCS.

However, their low resolution and resultant large size means they are limited to ground-basedsystems.

Russians and Chinese already have VHF radars, with resolution that may be good enough to sendmid-flight update to SAMs. Also, it is physically impossible to design fighters that will be VLO inregards to both low power, high-frequency fighter radars, and high-power, low-frequency ground-

based radars. Such radars can, according to some claims, detect fighter-sized VLO targets fromdistance of up to 330 kilometers (against bombers like B2, their performance will be worse, butsuch planes have their own shortcomings namely, IR signature and sheer size). Manufacturers ofVostok E claim detection range against F117 as being 352 km in unjammed and 74 km in jammedenvironment.

Also, RAM coatings used in many stealth planes are physically limited in their ability to absorbelectromagnetic energy; one of ways RCS reduction is achieved is active cancellation as signalreaches surface of RAM, part of it is deflected back; other part will be refracted into airframe, andthen deflected from it in exact opposite phase of first half, and signals will cancel each other on way

back. However, thickness of RAM coating must be exactly half of radar's frequency, meaning that it

does not work against VHF radar for obvious reasons no fighter plane in world can have skin overhalf a meter thick.

There is one detail that apparently confirms this: in 1991, there was a deep penetrating raid directedat destruction of VHF radar near Baghdad; radar, which may have alerted Saddam at first wave ofstealth bombers approaching capital. Before US stealth bombers started flying missions, radar wasdestroyed in a special mission by helicopters. Also, during fighting in Kosovo, Yugoslav anti-airgunners downed one F117 with Russian anti-air missile whose technology dates back to 1964,simply by operating radar at unusually long wavelengths, allowing it to guide missile close enoughto aircraft so as to allow missile's IR targeting system to take over. Another F117 was hit anddamaged same way, never to fly again.

These radars, being agile frequency-hopping designs, are very hard to jam; however, bandwidthavailable is still limited.

Also, while bombers like B2 may be able to accommodate complex absorbent structures, it is not so

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with fighters, which are simply too small.

Another benefit is power while capacity of all radars for detecting VLO objects increases withgreater raw output, it is easier to increase output of VHF radars.

It is also possible for VHF radar to track vortexes, wake and engine exhaust created by stealthplanes.

Another advantage of low-frequency radars is the fact that they present poor target for anti-radiationweapons, making them harder to destroy. Moreover, new VHF radars are mobile Nebo SVU canstow or deploy in 45 minutes, while new Vostok-E can do it in eight minutes.

IRST

All Su-27 variants, as well as most modern Western fighters, carry IRST as a part of their sensorysuite. Russian OLS-35 is capable of tracking typical fighter target from head-on distance of 50 km,90 km tail-on, with azimuth coverage of +-90 degrees, and +60/-15 degree elevation coverage.

Fighter supercruising at Mach 1,7 generates shock cone with stagnation temperature of 87 degrees

Celsius, which will increase detection range to 55 km head-on. Not only that, but AMRAAM launchhas large, unique thermal signature, which should allow detection of F22 and missile launchwarning up to 93+ kilometers, while AMRAAM moving at Mach 4 could be detected at up to 83kilometers. That is worsened by the fact that F35 cannot supercruise, therefore additionallyincreasing its IR signature by requiring afterburner.

Integrating Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector technology greatly increases performance Eurofighter Typhoon already has one with unclassified detection range for subsonic head-onairborne targets of 90 kilometers (with real range being potentially far greater).

Infrared imaging systems (like Typhoon's or Rafale's) provide TV-like image of area being scanned,which translates into inherent ability to reject most false targets. Also, while older IRST systems

had to be guided by the radar, newer ones can do initial detection themselves. Given that stealthplanes themselves rely on passive detection in evading targets, using passive means in detectingthem is logical response for fighter aircraft. Missiles themselves can use infrared imagingtechnology, locking on targets of appropriate shape.

While there are materials that can supress IR signature of a plane, most of these are highly reflectivein regards to radar waves, thus making them unusable for stealth planes, and other ways of reducingIR signature are not very effective.

Passive radar

Passive radar does not send out signals, but only receive them. As such, it can use stealth plane'sown radar to detect it, as well as its IFF, uplink and/or any radio traffic sent out by the plane.

Also, it can (like Czech VERA-E) use radar, television, cellphone and other available signals ofopportunity reflected off stealth craft to detect them. Since such signals are usually coming from alldirections (except from above), stealth plane cannot control its position to present smallest return.EM noise in such bands is extensive enough for plane to leave a "hole" in data.

However, simply analyzing and storing such amount of data would require extreme processingpower as well as memory size, and it is prone to false alarms. It is also very short-range system, dueto amount of noise patterns being required to detect, map and store.

LidarInfrared doppler LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging; doppler LIDAR senses doppler shift infrequency) may be able to detect high altitude wake vortices of stealth aircraft. While atmospheric

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aerosoils are not sufficient for technique to work, exhaust particles as well as contrail ice particlesimprove detectability to point that aircraft may be detected from range well beyond 100 km;exhaust particles themselves allow for detection of up to 80 km.

Wake vortices are byproduct of generating lift, and are, as such, impossible to eliminate aircraftwing uses more curved upper and less curved or straight lower surface to generate differences inspeed between two airflows. As result, upper airflow is faster and as such generates lower pressurewhen compared to airflow below the wing, generating lift. That, however, has result of creatingvortices behind the trailing edge of the wing.

Background scanning

In that mode, radar does not look for stealth plane itself; instead it looks for background behindstealth plane, in which case sensory return leaves a "hole" in data. However, that requires radar to

be space-based; or, if stealth plane is forced to fly at very low altitude due to defence net, radar canbe airborne too.

Another possibility is using surface-based radio installations to scan the sky at high apertures and

with high sensitivity, such as with radio telescopes.As it is known to radio-astronomers, radio signals reach surface uninterrupted even in daytime or

bad weather; and since map of stars is well known, it can be assumed that any star not radiating iseclipsed by an object, such as stealth plane. And as with very sensitive radio-astronomicalequipment, every part of sky is observed as being covered with stars. It is also doable by lesssensitive detecting equipment, simply by serching for changes in intensity of stars.

Over-the-horizon radar

Over-the-horizon radars invariably operate in HF band, with frequencies around 10 Mhz andwavelengths of 30 meters, beacouse it is band in which atmospheric reflection is possible. Also, atthat point, target will create some kind of resonance and shaping will be largely irrelevant, as will

be RAM coating, as explained above.

However, lowering frequency of radar means that size of radar aperture has to grow in proportion toradar wavelength to maintain narrow beam and adequate resolution; other problem is that these

bands are already filled with communications traffic, meaning that such radars are usually found inearly-warning role over the sea.

Such systems are already in use by US, Australia (Jindalee), Russia and China.

Bistatic / multistatic radar

Since VLO characteristics are achieved primarly by shaping airframe to deflect radar waves in otherdirection than one they came from, and thus make it useless to classic systems. However, suchsignal can be picked by receiver in another position, and location of plane can be triangulated.

While every radar pulse must be uniquely identifiable, that feature is already present in modernDoppler pulse radars. What is more difficult is turning data into accurate position estimate, sinceradar return may arrive to transmitter from variety of directions, due to anomalous atmospheric

propagation, signal distortion due to interference etc.

Acoustic detection

Planes are noisy, engines in particular but also airflow over surface. In former case, bafflers areadded, while in latter, noise is reduced by shaping plane so as to be more streamlined. However,internal weapons bays, when opened, create a great amount of noise.

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Ultra-wide band radar

UWB radar works by transmitting several wavelengths at once, in short pulses. However, there areproblems: 1) it is more effective to transmit power in one pulse, 2) UWB antenna must work overfactor of ten or more in wavelength, 3) it would offer numerous false clutter targets. In short, if, forexample, UH frequency and VH frequency were used, such radar would combine UHF's and VHF'sadvantages AND disadvantages.

Also, it is very hard to make RAM that would be effective against multiple frequencies.

Cell phone network

Telephone calls between mobile phone masts can detect stealth planes with ease; mobile telephonecalls bouncing between base stations produce a screen of radiation. When the aircraft fly throughthis screen they disrupt the phase pattern of the signals. The Roke Manor system uses receivers,shaped like television aerials, to detect distortions in the signals.

A network of aerials large enough to cover a battlefield can be packed in a Land Rover.

Using a laptop connected to the receiver network, soldiers on the ground can calculate the positionof stealth aircraft with an accuracy of 10 metres with the aid of the GPS satellite navigation system.

IR illumination

IR illumination famed "black light" of World War 2, used in Do 17Z-10 and Bf 110D-1/U1 nightfighters works on exact same principles as radar, with only difference being EM radiation'swavelenght, which is in IR range.

Since it is active technique, it also betrays location of emitter, and thus cannot be relied on forregular use by combat aircraft althought it can be fitted instead of radar - but can be used by airdefense networks.

Detecting LPI radar

F35s, like F22s, radar uses frequency hopping to counter radar recievers. However, it can only userelatively low spread of frequencies, and can be detected by using spread-spectrum technology inRWRs.

Another way to hide radar signal is to include spread-spectrum technology; it is intended to reducesignature of radar signal and blend it into background noise. However, such radar still emits a signalthat is 1 million to 10 million times greater than real-world background noise. It is relatively simpleto build spread-spectrum passive receiver that can detect such radar at distance four times greater

than radar's own detection range.There are other ways of making radar LPI: 1) make a signal so weak that RWR cannot detect it, andincrease processing power, 2) narrow the radar beam and 3) have radar with far higher processinggain than RWR. Option one is impractical, and is only viable for few years, until newer RWR's areavaliable, even assuming it is initially successfull. Option two does not affect target being "painted",and option 3, closely connected to option one, is only, again, viable for few years.

Conclusion

All of above means that:

1) F35 is terrible at everything it is supposed to do all missions that F35 is supposed to

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perform can be done more effectively and at lower cost by legacy aircraft

2) It is also extremely expensive to operate and maintain

3) As such, it would be better for US to scrap F35 until separate, non VLO replacements forF16, F18 and Harrier can be developed

In short, F35 is overweight, overpriced, underperforming and unnecessary.

Additions

RCS size vs detection range

Target RCS size in m2 relative detection range

Aircraft carrier 100 000 1778

Cruiser 10 000 1000

Large airliner or automobile 100 1000

Medium airliner or bomber 40 251

Large fighter 6 157

Small fighter 2 119

Man 1 100

Conventional cruise missile 0,5 84

Large bird 0,05 47

Large insect 0,001 18Small bird 0,00001 6

Small insect 0,000001 3

F117 to VHF radar 0,5 84

Effective range is calculated by formula (RCS1/RCS2) = (R1/R2)^4, where RCS = radar crosssection, while R=range.

RAM coatings

RAM coatings can be dielectric or magnetic. Dielectric works by addition of carbon products whichchange electric properties, and is bulky and fragile, while magnetic one uses iron ferrites whichdissipate and absorb radar waves, and are good against UHF radars.

Outside links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQB4W8C0rZI&

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhGIglwmFB8&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQB4W8C0rZI&http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhGIglwmFB8&feature=relmfuhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQB4W8C0rZI&http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhGIglwmFB8&feature=relmfu

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