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Disappointing test results for new stealth fighter

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There’s bad news for prospective buyers of Lockheed-Martin’s vaunted new F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter (JFS). The pricey stealth fighter reportedly can’t turn or climb fast enough to hit an enemy plane during a dogfight, or dodge the enemy’s gunfire. The cockpit is also said to be too small for a pilot to turn his or her own head and see another plane approaching from the rear.

The entire program comes in at more than $1 trillion, making it by far the most expensive weapons system in U.S. military history. The U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.—and the navies of more than a dozen U.S. allies—are counting on the fighter jet to replace many, if not most, of their current fighter jets.

“The F-35 was at a distinct energy disadvantage,” wrote an unnamed test pilot in January for a report classified as “for official use only.” The test pilot’s comments are reportedly the latest evidence of fundamental problems with the design of the F-35. That could mean, in about 20 years, American and allied aviators will fly into battle in an inferior fighter and may cost the United States control of the air.

The fateful test took place on Jan. 14, reportedly within the Sea Test Range over the Pacific Ocean near Edwards Air Force Base. The single-seat F-35A took off alongside a two-seat F-16D Block 40, one of the types of planes the new F-35 Lightning II is supposed to replace. The two jets were playing the roles of opposing fighters in a pretend air battle, which the Air Force organized specifically to test out the new jet’s prowess as a close-range dogfighter in an air-to-air tangle involving what are termed as high “angles to attack” and “aggressive stick/pedal inputs.”

The F-35 pilot was ordered to fly his jet “hard,” executing specific turns and maneuvers in order to “shoot down” the F-16, whose pilot would be doing his best to evade and take out the F-35. Somewhere along the way, the test pilot found that the new jet simply could not maneuver well enough to avoid and/or withstand the mock deadly assault from the older F-16.

“The evaluation focused on the overall effectiveness of the aircraft performing various specified maneuvers in a dynamic environment,” the test pilot wrote. “This consisted of traditional basic fighter maneuvers in offensive, defensive and neutral setups at altitudes ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 feet.”

The F-35 was reportedly flying “clean” with no weapons in its bomb bay or under its wings or fuselage. The F-16, by contrast, was hauling two bulky underwing fuel tanks, supposedly putting the older jet at an aerodynamic disadvantage. However, the F-35’s advantage didn’t help matters at all because the new fighter reportedly proved too sluggish to reliably defeat the heavier F-16.

“Even with the limited F-16 target configuration, the F-35A remained at a distinct energy disadvantage for every engagement,” the pilot reported, explaining further that there is “… insufficient pitch rate; energy deficit to the bandit would increase over time,” and “… instead of catching the bandit off-guard by rapidly pulling aft to achieve lead, the nose rate was slow, allowing him to easily time his jink (a quick move) prior to a gun solution.”

The pilot eventually put the results of the test flight in ordinary words: “God help you, if the enemy surprises you, and you have no choice but to turn.”

A referral by Edwards Air Force Base to the Joint Srike Fighter headquaters at the Pentagon did not elicit a response about the next step in the evaluation process by press time.

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