F-35B / Airwolfhound
Proponents say two recent exercises demonstrate the warplane’s many capabilities are worth every penny
By DAVE MAKICHUK
APRIL 17, 2021
A Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II receives fuel from an Air Force KC-10. The F-35 contains more than eight million lines of computer code that run on its advanced digital systems. Photo By: Air Force Staff Sgt. Taylor Harrison.
Lockheed Martin’s controversial F-35 Lightning II stealth jet fighter has its detractors and proponents.
Having earned the nicknames the “trillion-dollar mistake” and “the flying super-computer,” among others, it has taken a beating from critics who point to its multitude of teething problems (some of which continue today), soaring costs and its inability to do anything really well.
My buddy and fellow pilot John Desramaux (aviation expert and Second World War historian from Ontario) and I often discuss (a.k.a. argue), over whether Canada should spend billions on the advanced, multi-role F-35, or just add more F/A-18s to its aging fleet of fighter jets.
As far as John is concerned, Canada should “go fifth generation, or go home.”
But is there any evidence — solid evidence — that backs that up?
According to Mark Episkopos at National Interest, there is … and it should have put to rest many of the fears about the fighter’s performance.
Red Flag is the premier air combat exercise of the US Air Force....read rest of article
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