Article

2020-04-15 Science & Technology

Test Pilot: U.S. Marine F-35 Stealth Fighters Are Useless

[The National Interest] The U.S. Marine Corps arguably is the biggest champion of, and the most important user of, the F-35 stealth fighter.

But Marine Corps commandant Gen. David Berger has made it clear that the Corps could scale back its planned, 420-plane F-35 buy as it reorganizes for naval warfare against China. Berger long has said he wants Marine battalions to be lighter and faster-moving.

"Right now, the [F-35] program of record plows ahead as it is," Berger told reporters on April 1, 2020. "But I’m signaling to the industry, we have to be prepared to adjust as the operating environment adjusts."

The possibility of F-35 cuts probably wouldn’t surprise Raymond "Chip" Dudderar, a retired U.S. Navy aviator and test pilot. For nearly three decades Dudderar flew Navy A-7s and F/A-18s — and also Marine Corps AV-8 Harrier jump jets as an exchange pilot.

In his capacity as an airpower consultant, in 2010 Dudderar penned informal, unclassified analyses for Navy admirals outlining problems with the F-35. Years later Dudderar released his analysis to the public.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-04-15 11:27|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 FIFY: ...as it reorganizes for ~~naval warfare against China.~~
Reductions In Force (RIF) as troops are pulled from Afghanistan, Iraq and other "active" theaters (hopefully).
They are also looking in mothballing their M1-Abrams, as well. More "seaborne Commandos" than the other US army.

Posted by magpie 2020-04-15 12:27|| 2020-04-15 12:27|| Front Page Top

#2 as it reorganizes for naval warfare

With carriers adrift, some tactics will change.

Posted by Skidmark 2020-04-15 12:48|| 2020-04-15 12:48|| Front Page Top

#3 It's a ten year old report from someone who died a year and a half ago, as reported by the guy who lied in his report about the dogfight...

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2020-04-15 13:59|| 2020-04-15 13:59|| Front Page Top

#4 My sole experience with the military was 6 months working on a purchasing admin system to be shared by the Army, Navy and MC.

It was amazing that those folks could coordinate and win a fight against a troop of Cub scouts.
Especially the Navy Aviators always had to have the last word. WTF was the watch word for the entire project.

That's a long way of saying that I'm not surprised.

Posted by AlanC 2020-04-15 16:31|| 2020-04-15 16:31|| Front Page Top

05:28 Whiskey Mike
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03:23 Besoeker
02:05 Grom the Affective
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01:26 49 Pan
00:22 EMS Artifact
00:16 Skidmark