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>the F-35 program provided significant benefit to main street businesses and households Not sure I agree with you there. It's no secret that the Air Force is a

>the F-35 program provided significant benefit to main street businesses and households Not sure I agree with you there. It's no secret that the Air Force is already developing solutions for unmanned aerial superiority platforms. Being as kind as possible to programs like the F-35, I'd have to say that they will be, at best, "transitional". No way they will have the service life of, say, the F-16 or even 18. You have to wonder, if you know you have to go unmanned anyway, why not just upgrade the F-18 and your existing stealth platforms to get you through? The answer to that question was likely given to us a long time ago by General Butler and Ike.

_Codemonkeyism 8y ago
Because money.
nradov 8y ago
All of the existing stealth platforms (F-117, B-2, F-22) are out of production. There's no practical way to build more, and they can't really be upgraded to fly from carriers. The F-18 has been upgraded to a limited extent, however the basic shape of the airframe means it will always have a large radar cross section and IR signature no matter what they do. The concern is that it's just no longer survivable against modern air defense systems. So at some point they have to start over with a new airframe. AI technology might allow for totally autonomous tactical aircraft someday. But the technology doesn't actually exist yet, and probably won't for a long time.
- noir_lord 8y ago
  The F18 vs F18 Superhornet wasn't a limited upgrade. They replace (iirc) 30% of the plane and it's much bigger. https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2f54130dd50490fcfd1ad0efb0f53ea7 https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2f54130dd50490fcfd1ad0...
  - nradov 8y ago
    I guess it depends on how you define limited. But regardless, the minor low-observability upgrades in the Superhornet were insufficient to make it survivable.
  - engi_nerd 8y ago
    To correct and expand upon your point a bit. Yes, the Super Hornet isn't just a limited upgrade. The Super Hornet is a bigger airframe. You can think of it as "what would happen if we scaled up a Hornet by about 15%?" New wing. New intake design. It required a development program and a flight test program of a kind that you do when you make a new airplane, not upgrade an old one. The Super Hornet is much more capable. Greater endurance, can have an AESA radar, better ESM suite, better communications.
    - noir_lord 8y ago
      Aye, F-18 Super Hornet is my favourite plane of the jet age bar none.

_Codemonkeyism 8y ago

Because money.

nradov 8y ago

All of the existing stealth platforms (F-117, B-2, F-22) are out of production. There's no practical way to build more, and they can't really be upgraded to fly from carriers. The F-18 has been upgraded to a limited extent, however the basic shape of the airframe means it will always have a large radar cross section and IR signature no matter what they do. The concern is that it's just no longer survivable against modern air defense systems. So at some point they have to start over with a new airframe. AI technology might allow for totally autonomous tactical aircraft someday. But the technology doesn't actually exist yet, and probably won't for a long time.

noir_lord 8y ago
The F18 vs F18 Superhornet wasn't a limited upgrade. They replace (iirc) 30% of the plane and it's much bigger. https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2f54130dd50490fcfd1ad0efb0f53ea7 https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2f54130dd50490fcfd1ad0...
- nradov 8y ago
  I guess it depends on how you define limited. But regardless, the minor low-observability upgrades in the Superhornet were insufficient to make it survivable.
- engi_nerd 8y ago
  To correct and expand upon your point a bit. Yes, the Super Hornet isn't just a limited upgrade. The Super Hornet is a bigger airframe. You can think of it as "what would happen if we scaled up a Hornet by about 15%?" New wing. New intake design. It required a development program and a flight test program of a kind that you do when you make a new airplane, not upgrade an old one. The Super Hornet is much more capable. Greater endurance, can have an AESA radar, better ESM suite, better communications.
  - noir_lord 8y ago
    Aye, F-18 Super Hornet is my favourite plane of the jet age bar none.