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> it's much more of an air "quarterback" to to speak I thought that was AWACS? Why is an F designated plane not in a fighter role?
by bradleyjg 6y ago
> it's much more of an air "quarterback" to to speak
I thought that was AWACS? Why is an F designated plane not in a fighter role?
- piva00 6y agoIf we are going to stretch the analogy, AWACS could be the watcher on the stands, telling the coach the big picture plays. The quarterback is in the heat, calling tactics in the spur of moment. Not sure if the analogy breaks down completely from here on.
- zozin 6y agoAWACS do do that, however, in a conflict with a peer enemy AWACS would get shot down immediately since they're non-stealth sitting ducks.
- jasonwatkinspdx 6y agoThe F-35 is definitely a multi role fighter. It just also has sophisticated enough electronics it can act as a sort of "mini AWACS" when useful. And it's a lot more likely to survive in a peer fight, while AWACS will be pushed back beyond standoff range.
- bradleyjg 6y ago> multi role fighter From an outsiders perspective this has the feel of “it can be whatever you want it to be as long as you keep buying them”.
- jasonwatkinspdx 6y agoThat's not an accurate view. Even within the US the competition between Boeing and LM is pretty intense. Our allies are not somehow being strong armed into buying the F-35. The allies not buying it are generally doing so because they like to use their spending to build domestic industry, like France, or because they simply don't have the budget for anything beyond a previous generation fighter.