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For anyone interested in the dynamics of the Air Force that explain the abysmal performance of the F-35, and why the F-16 can beat it in a dogfight despite bein
by omalleyt 11y ago
For anyone interested in the dynamics of the Air Force that explain the abysmal performance of the F-35, and why the F-16 can beat it in a dogfight despite being commissioned 40 years ago, look up John Boyd or read "Boyd: The Fighter Pilot who Changed the Art of War." The Air Force is structured to enable and shelter operational failures such as the F-35
- nickff 11y agoThough I agree with you that all government agencies are political machines which have evolved to protect their bureaucrats; the F-35 was simply not designed to be a lightweight low-cost fighter. Comparing the F-35 to the F-16 is about as useful as comparing the F-105 to the F-86 (, which is to say not very informative). Boyd thought that even the F-16 was overweight and over-sized (and he may have been correct).
- herdrick 11y ago> Boyd thought that even the F-16 was overweight and over-sized ... compared to what it could have been, and would have been, had he somehow completely gotten his way, sure. It was a disappointment to him, but it's still pretty good in energy–maneuverability theory terms. And it's worth comparing the F-105 to the F-86 in dogfighting because dogfighting just keeps happening in wars, decades after it was predicted to cease.