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Yeah it's great, in the meantime: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/air-force-admits-f-35-fighter-jet-costs-too-much-ncna1259781 https://www.nbcnews.com/th

by nix23 5y ago

Yeah it's great, in the meantime: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/air-force-admits-f-35-fighter-jet-costs-too-much-ncna1259781 https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/air-force-admits-f-35-... But hey, it's maybe too expensive for the US but not for Switzerland...because we really need them...for air policing and other hardcore war stuff. Next, we need a Aircraft carrier for the Bodensee, and some virgia-class subs to protect it, and a massive dry-dock so the carrier can turn around. Oh and since this is HN: https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security/spy-f35s-send-sensitive-norwegian-military-data-back-to-lockheed-martin-in-the-united-states/news-story/12b4fafce6b579448cc8416518063d1f https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security/spy-f35s-...

sschueller 5y ago
I also don't get the point of having a stealth aircraft. We are neutral as in this will be used for defense in the most extreme case and that is it. So it will fly in Swiss airspace hiding from Swiss ground troops? If we have enemies on our soil we have bigger problems than a stealth aircraft would solve.
- pbak 5y ago
  It gets the US to politically leave our banks and other institutions alone for a decade or maybe two.
  - sschueller 5y ago
    That is definitely the case. 6B for that is quite cheap. I mean we give the EU 1B a year...
- nix23 5y ago
  No stealth at supersonic speed for longer time :) >F-35 jet can only fly at supersonic speeds for short bursts of time before there is a risk of structural damage and loss of stealth capability https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/06/12/supersonic-speeds-could-cause-big-problems-for-the-f-35s-stealth-coating/ https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/06/12/supersonic-speeds...
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  Stealth lets you operate much more surviveably in contested airspace. If you're a small nation and your threat model includes a bigger one and you're rich enough to afford it the short takeoff versions are pretty attractive.
  - nix23 5y ago
    There is no space that can be contested over Switzerland.

by nix23 5y ago

sschueller 5y ago

I also don't get the point of having a stealth aircraft. We are neutral as in this will be used for defense in the most extreme case and that is it. So it will fly in Swiss airspace hiding from Swiss ground troops? If we have enemies on our soil we have bigger problems than a stealth aircraft would solve.

pbak 5y ago
It gets the US to politically leave our banks and other institutions alone for a decade or maybe two.
- sschueller 5y ago
  That is definitely the case. 6B for that is quite cheap. I mean we give the EU 1B a year...
nix23 5y ago
No stealth at supersonic speed for longer time :) >F-35 jet can only fly at supersonic speeds for short bursts of time before there is a risk of structural damage and loss of stealth capability https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/06/12/supersonic-speeds-could-cause-big-problems-for-the-f-35s-stealth-coating/ https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/06/12/supersonic-speeds...
throwaway0a5e 5y ago
Stealth lets you operate much more surviveably in contested airspace. If you're a small nation and your threat model includes a bigger one and you're rich enough to afford it the short takeoff versions are pretty attractive.
- nix23 5y ago
  There is no space that can be contested over Switzerland.