The Advanced F-35 Fighter Straps On Its Missiles For The First Time Ever
- Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:22am by
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This post originally appeared on Business Insider by Robert Johnson.
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has been plagued by setbacks and drama since the design left the computer and the plane took to the air.
Perhaps this is why the defense company is quick to trot out big, beautiful pictures every time the fighter takes one more teetering step.
This week’s milestone came when the plane conducted its first ever, external weapons test. There are no pictures of the ordnance in action, but Lockheed did release the F-35′s full weapons potential and the two air-to-air AIM-9X missiles on the outboard wing stations for the test flight, just scratch the surface.
(Photo: Lockheed Martin)
(Photo: Lockheed Martin)
In addition the F-35 will carry: Two internal 2,000 lb smart bombs, two advanced medium range air-to-air missiles inside weapon bays to decrease its radar signature, along with four 2,000 pound bombs mounted to the wings.
All told the jet will carry 18,000 pounds of ordnance, spread over 10 weapons stations, with four of the stations inside the body of the plane to improve its stealth ability.
Now, if only Lockheed can keep the Chinese from eavesdropping on its conference calls…
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Comments (79)
JSHarvey
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:36pmset backs that is.
Report Post »JSHarvey
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:35pmNow you folks who are talking about flaws and set do realise that when the C-130 and the B-52 first rolled they were hunks of junk, 50+ yrs later guess what’s still hauling the mail.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 10:04pmand will be for many more years
Report Post »SageInWaiting
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:20pmThat last link on Chinese hacking… what do you expect when you promote it as a fighter and designed and built by a dozen countries? Turkey, I read years ago, was one of the first data compromises – they are even MORE reliable now, aren’t they? We haven‘t just sold our nation’s secrets (helping the Chinese develop the navigation systems to put satellites into orbit – or drop a nuke on one of our cities – during Clinton’s watch), we’ve left the safe open and the doors unlocked. Somebody might say that this was all planned… but that would be crazy, RIGHT???
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:33pmWell, when are we going to put it to good use?
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:54pmLater this summer.
Report Post »Worldsapart
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:12am^LOL…and **sniffle**
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:17amFull scale demonstration to be held over Iran on July 4th!
Report Post »JDMAch1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:27pmI read an article a year or so ago about the F-22. They took the best fighter pilots and trained them on the F-22. Next they put (5) F-16′s against (1) F-22 using these same pilots. In every training senario, the F-22 beat all 5 of the others. It was so bad, the f-16 pilots said the were killed before they even knew where the F-22 was coming from. All the pilots agreed, the F-22 is the absolute bad ass of the sky. The F-35 may have a different mission. But it makes no sense at all for nobama to cancel the F-22 program and say the F-35 will step in and take it’s place. Best case senario is he’s very under-qualified for the job and is listening to the wrong people. Worst case, he knows damn well how good the F-22 is and wants to “level” the playing field or some BS like that.
Report Post »IntheKnowOG
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:14pmYou said it makes no sense for him to cancel the F-22. Why would you assume that he applied logic in the decision? Everything he does is to cripple our country. “Why cripple our country?” is what you should be asking. Using those “goggles”, it makes perfect sense.
Report Post »integrican
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 1:36amThe F-22 returns to the air show circuit (after a year long absence) in St. George, Utah next weekend. The Navy’s “Blue Angels” are headlining the show, but the F-22 will be a “star attraction.“ One of the ”teases” for the F-22 is the fact that it can travel from 70 – 700 MPH in less than a minute. …and you think your friends Ferrari is fast, pfffft!!! LOL.
Report Post »My 15 year old boy will be accompanying me. He has shown and interest in flight and in fighter jets. He was just accepted into a “concurrent enrollment” charter High School and should graduate from High School with an Associates Degree. Maybe this show (he has been to others, but only as a small boy) will light the fire and propel him into a career in flying and who knows, maybe fighter jets.
FearlessInfedel62
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:04pmDid’nt Obummer already cancel this plane?
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:24pmThat was the F-22 he canceled.
Report Post »okredstate
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:45pmAs far as I know, the F-22 has not gone through curtailment. Which means that all the production tooling is available and can be put back into operation if given the go ahead. The B-2 waited for quite some time before the tooling was curtailed. It is very likely that the the F-22 is waiting for another president and a different senate.
Report Post »CowboyExpat
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:26pmGW Bush approved the cancellation of the F-22.
Report Post »Belchfire V-8
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 12:12amActually, Bush deferred the decision, Obutthead cancelled the Raptor. The F-35 is a mach 1.6 DOG that was to have a sizable F-22 fleet available as top cover. If you argue any of this, you are either short on facts or a fool.
Report Post »patbarker
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:16pmhave we sold the techology of this plane to China yet ..via DNC/Reid/Clinton/Soros/Obama/Pelosi???
Report Post »I mean Wilhom Von Der Slickmiester Clinton sold Chicoms rocket technology for 500k bribe…errrr… “donation” Cali eletronics firm. China couldn‘t get a rocket off the freakin’ ground b/4 that!!
freedomring
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:45pmSell? If he is like Clinton it will be “given” away for “campaign donations”
Report Post »BlackDragon08
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:16pmThe F22 and the F35 are two totally different planes. The F22 is a larger plane than the F35. The best comparison would be the is F22 is to the F35 what the F15 is to the F16. Two different planes, two different roles. The F35 will NOT replace the F22. The F35 is set to replace the F16 and F18A (not the F18 Super Hornet). The smaller planes like the F16 and F35 are used more so support and air to ground combat, where as the bigger planes are more for air to air combat. Understand that the discription of both the F22 and F35 are multirole fighters.
Report Post »Boomer52
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:33pmAnd the F14D COULD wipe the F15, F16, F18 AND the Super Hornet out the sky! Tomcat was able to lock on targets at OVER 120 miles, fire on 6 indenpendant aircraft and have a 95+% kill raito. If she were only stealth! (yes, I know my spelling stinks)
Report Post »CleanUpAisle2013
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:11pmOK, so it’s not the Mexican flag. But it sure would have given a whole new meaning to ‘Fast and Furious’.
Report Post »RighteousTyrant
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:04pmLOL at how many of you who don’t have a clue what the flag of Mexico really looks like. That’s Italy, you dolts.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:27pmWhy do you think I care what the mexican flag looks like? At least Italy has pizza. Mexico only has beans and painted zebras.
Report Post »goodgrubguy
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:51pmso I looked at the F22 after seeing it on a comment here and it is spectacular! The specs on the F22 are amazing and the footage and reviews are impressive as well. I’m not an expert but it just looks faster, quieter and more agile than the F35. Fun stuff to watch!
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:19pmDifferent mission rolls. Comparing these 2 aircraft is like comparing an F-14 and an A-10…
F22 has no purpose in the Navy/USMC as it’s not designed for all weather, close air support missions.
Not to mention the F-22 doesn’t have a VTOL option….Kinda a requirement for the USMC…
Report Post »Archtard
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:31pmThe F-22 is not quiet… at all.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:45pmThe F-35 design was geared more towards versatility and while there were hopes to make it adjustable to any combat standard, the F-22 is still superior in its field of specialization.
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:38pmLet‘s hope and pray that they haven’t destroyed the molds for the F22. This plane is a giant step backwards. If you hang missiles under the wings the stealth characteristics are gone. You can’t fix stupid!
Report Post »brntout
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:55pmYeah and with todays aircraft two engines are better than one.You can RTB on one.This thing’s augering in on engine failure.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:19pmYou know the F-22 can mount externally also right? It’s a option based on mission role and threats….
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:27pm@eagle-
Report Post »There are a lot of things that can be done, but that doesn’t mean they should. The roll of the F22 was Stealth, Speed and Control. The bird was ten generations ahead of anything else in the world. The Chinese suddenly have a bird to compete. The engines are being made by the Russians but the planes are being built in China. We are building backwards instead of forward thinking. The Nobama administration is counting more on drones instead of pilots. I just wish the American public would wake up. During Vietnam they took the guns off the F4 saying the day of the gun slinger was over. It took them a little while to figure out that that was a stupid idea. So they placed an external pod for the gun on the plane. If they can place the entire weapons system inside of the plane it lets the pilot get in close without being seen. More pilots come home.
eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:28pm“This plane is a giant step backwards. If you hang missiles under the wings the stealth characteristics are gone”
Mine It was a sarcastic remark to this ignorant comment….It’s not a step back in any sense. It’s filling a future hole in a very vital part of the USMC and Navy….
“he Chinese suddenly have a bird to compete”
We’ll see…It can fly and taxi, that‘s about all it’s proven…
My point being as they are testing the external mounts in flight right now. They can be removed if stealth is the driving goal of the mission. The same holds true for the F-22. If they don’t need stealth, they load it up with munitions….
Report Post »okredstate
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:47pmIt’s called curtailment. And as far as I know, all composite tooling (jigs) are still available, just as most of the B-2 tooling is.
Report Post »Watchyer6
Posted on March 6, 2012 at 6:46pmYes, how can it remain stealthy with external ordnance?
Report Post »Publius
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:35pmMore than likely, Leon Panetta already gave the rushkies and the chi-coms the design specs to this asset. Just like the locations of our submerged boomers around the world.
Report Post »mwilson85
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:25pmAfter playing Battlefield 3 and flying this, all i can say is that it is clunky and slow and not very agile. Yes it can take off vertically, but who cares! hahaha… the raptor makes much more sense.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:29pmYou should tell Obama this – he thought that he could drop the F-22 and fill in the gap with the F-35. Apparently, his head of defense is afraid to tell him like it is. He also thought we could go into space without a mission or a missile.
You can’t fix stupid.
Report Post »tom
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:42pmYa really think Battlefield 3 or some other computer game is going to fully demonstrate the capabilites of this aircraft? What a maroon!
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:20pmSame as the kids who think one gun is better than another because they played Modern Warfare….
God I hope you were being sarcastic…
Report Post »goodgrubguy
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:20pmFlags are; US – UK – Mexico – France – Chinese – Canada – Austrailia – Denmark and ?what the last one is. Maybe we built this inferior plane so we could sell it to everyone and we are secretly building the F22 so we can beat them when they all finally try to eliminate us?
Report Post »BlackDragon08
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:07pmSo you know the flags that are on the side of the F35 are followed US, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Austrailia, Denmark and Norway. We would not let another superpower or up and coming like China to buy our planes so they can then inturn reverse engineer it.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:08pmAs I learned while in the USAF when we recived our first F-16′s,it was already 20 year old technology although they were right off the assembly line.Imagine what the next generation will be as this I’m sure is already that old.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:17pmI‘m surprised it doesn’t have that stupid Obama rising sun thingy on it. The narcissist in chief would use anything as a campaign tool..
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:38pmIt’s the Obama setting sun. Nothing is rising in his world.
Report Post »commonsense2012
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:00pmThe F35 is a dog! Too expensive, one engine and it can not carry much in stealth mode. It was the wrong choice!
Report Post »brntout
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:17pmWell Barry was the one who killed the “Raptor” which was one wicked killing machine.The airshow performance was one of the eeriest ever but impressive!
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:20pmThis thing is no dog. It has tail exhaust vectoring and can practically pull off a standing 180. It has every evasive defense ever devised. It can be reconfigured for any mission and is approximately 14 seconds download ahead of our enemies in design technology (with obama’s alinsky radicals all over our Government). Shame- it WAS 20 years ahead…
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:26pmAnd what other aircraft has V/STOL capabilities besides them +40 year old AV-8?
Report Post »AnAmerican111
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:56amSweet!
Report Post »It’s unfortunate that OBAMA criminal administration is probably sharing the design with China as we speak……………
Full Throttle
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:45amWow, what a beauty! Bet it cost us plenty.
Report Post »bigfatslob
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:41amW/ the exernal missles & bombs you can see how inferior the F35 will be in the stealth arean when compared to the OBAMA CANCELLED F22.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:25pmNo, it isn’t….
As the F-22 can have wing mounted munitions, or the F-35 could have no wing mounted drops….Apples and oranges people, apples and oranges…
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:37pm@Eagle-
You are right and wrong. Kind of like your analogy. The F22 and the F35 are two completely different Aircraft. They each have their purpose with faults and strengths. However, the F22 is the far better plane than the F22 for most purposes. The Navy/Marines need the VTOL plane to take the place of the Harrier, but the Airforce needs the F22 to replace the F14, F16 and I believe the Navy could find a version of the F22 to replace the F18. Maybe not the Super Hornet but the base model. Yes it cost a lot to build but all planes become obsolete. You should not put one in service that is obsolete before it comes off the assembly line.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:33pmNo viper, they can’t…. The F-22 is way way way to big to fit on a carrier, it’s superstructure was not designed to stand up to the repetitive abuse carrier operations hold, and the F-22 is not a CAS aircraft…..All of which the F-35 is…
Have you ever seen one in person? They are huge aircraft… Most fighter jets looked small next to our KC-130…the F-22 not so much….
Say all you want about the F-35, but the F-22 was ‘plagued’ by problems as well in it’s first years. But when it was being built the defense budgets were fat, and no one cared about deficits…
The aircraft is a fine addition to the fleet, and It’ll be nice to having something other than lawn darts… i mean Harriers… to put on top of the Flattops…
Report Post »hi
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:33amWhat the heck? Are those flags from different nations on it? Better not be. I don’t have my readers on. I was so mad when they turned GI Joe into United Nations Joe. Disgusting.
Report Post »LightvsDarkness
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:46amYup those are flags, the F-35 was a joint project between several nations. The F-22 which is the real bad A is only American.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:55amYour eyes don’t decieve you. Right after the British flag is the Mexican flag it looks like. I‘m sure they spent a lot of money on it’s development.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:09pmGONZO, Well, Mexico does have all of that drug money to invest.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:50pmRJ, I’m trying to picture their pilots and coming up with Cheech and Chong.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:33am.
Report Post »I’m Sorry but, Strap-On and Fighter Jet, just don’t belong in the same sentence………
DD313
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:24pmWith the passing of DADT, there may be some who will disagree with you there.
Report Post »sweathog1948
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:33amThese aircrafts should be sent to Israel to help them fight Iran.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:59amMore likely to to go to Iran to fight the Isrealis with this administration.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:00pmThose flags down the fuselage are the countries they are going to be sold to to upgrade their air forces.
Report Post »RighteousTyrant
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:03pmThat’s what the F-35I is.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:44pmI certainly hope they included a self destruct computer chip. If the plane is misused, push the button.
Report Post »VigilantGuardShark
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:30amIs this plane Really that big of an improvement over the F-15 to justify it’s cost? I’d like to see a comparison of admitted capapbilities to judge.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:23pmIt’s not a replacement for the F-15…That’s the F-22s job…
The F-35 is a replacement for the F-18 and the AV-8 (harrier)
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:26amYeah, but when are they going to give it to our enemies so they will have a fair chance?
Report Post »57states
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:36amyour right!!
Report Post »One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:04pmBarry‘s arranging for one to ’crash land’ as we speak in Iran and then will refuse to fight to get it back, using only the “Pretty Please” option which of course Mahmoud laughed at, with no pre conditions of course ; )
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