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There are few air bases but many sections of highway which are long and straight enough to take off from. Targeting all of them with expensive precision munitio
by thunderbird120 3y ago
There are few air bases but many sections of highway which are long and straight enough to take off from. Targeting all of them with expensive precision munitions is totally impractical.
- sschueller 3y agoI thought this was a VTOL aircraft so runway length should not be such an issue.
- roywiggins 3y agoThe F-35A variant doesn't do VTOL.
- akajla 3y agoThe article references the F-35A which is the conventional take-off/landing variant whereas the VTOL variant is the F-35B.
- thunderbird120 3y agoThe article references the F-35A which is a conventional take off and landing aircraft (CTOL). The F-35B is the short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant. The F-35B belongs to the marines is capable of using extremely short and improvised runways and this has been part of its operational concept for quite a while[1]. For an expeditionary force that kind of thing is important. The F-35A is a bit different in that its a normal air force fighter. This is just proving that if push comes to shove it can be operated out of improvised bases. [1]https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-35b-just-touched-down-on-the-old-pacific-coast-highway https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-35b-just-touched-dow...
- eschneider 3y agoVTOL takeoff usually reduces payload vs a more normal takeoff.
- Telemakhos 3y agoHow clean does a runway have to be for an F-35 to take-off from it? I remember a lot of internet grief over the idea of shipping American fighters to Ukraine, on the grounds that the F-16 and other American fighters were designed only for pristine runways. Low air intakes of the sort Americans favor would ingest debris that would damage the engines, so runways have to be absolutely clear. The MiG-29, on the other hand, has auxiliary air intakes above the wing for taking off on a poorly maintained airstrip. So, does the F-35 need specially cleaned highways?
- hef19898 3y agoFOD is something to avoid when operating aircraft, everywhere. Meaning clean is clean enough, and if it isn't an emergency landing strips are prepared (basic maintenance, personal facilities, fuel...) Regarding Ukraine, if it is internet grief, it is fair to assume it is wrong.
- anttihaapala 3y agoWell, Finland has been landing and taking off F-18s on these road bases for almost 30 years now.