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Science & Technology
$400bn F-35 can only hit 'stationary or slow moving objects'
2017-02-28
New report reveals as military bosses claim fighter jet could battle ISIS in the Middle East 'in a few years'
If all goes as planned, there will be no ISIS in the Middle East in a few years. But no doubt other foes will present themselves.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history', costing $400bn. However, according to Aviation Week, the plane's laser targeting system has one slight flaw - it can only target stationary or slow moving objects.
Fortunately for us, ISIS doesn't move that fast...
'Despite being among the most technologically advanced low-observable warplanes on the planet, the Lockheed Martin F-35 has one significant shortcoming,' it wrote.

'The Joint Strike Fighter cannot strike moving ground targets using the targeting system and weapons loadout delivered in its final combat Lightning II configuration, Block 3F.'

The jet has gone through dozens of updates to its software, with the Block 3F being the most recent.
Posted by:Blossom Unains5562

#23  @#22: Now, that would be fun to watch.

- Sustained load factors at 150 knots 2.29G
- Sustained load factors at 275 knots 3.26G
- Instantaneous load factors at 150 knots 2.34G
- Instantaneous load factors at 300 knots 5.0G
- Stabilized 45 degree dive speed 260 knots
Sustained turn radius at 1500 meters/5000 feet with 6 mk82s No flaps:
@ 200 kt 398 meter/1305 feet
@ 250 kt 568 meter/1864 feet
@ 300 kt 792 meter/2598 feet
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562   2017-02-28 21:16  

#22  I'd like to see some remote-piloted A10s go after ISIS.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2017-02-28 16:54  

#21  Yep in the dark arts of weapons procurement and development, quality assurance is a change order.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2017-02-28 15:21  

#20  Problem is, you would be surprised at how many large scale software development groups have no understanding of software Quality Assurance processes.

MenhaddenSmiteroftheHemps7992 you really don't know how the defense procurement process works, do you?
Posted by: Angusock Chuting6110   2017-02-28 14:51  

#19  Wiki excerpt: The two most common propulsion systems for air-to-surface missiles are rocket motors, usually with shorter range, and slower, longer-range jet engines. Some Soviet-designed air-to-surface missiles are powered by ramjets, giving them both long range and high speed.
Posted by: Slats Thromong4232   2017-02-28 14:40  

#18  The issue means the aircraft is limited to striking fixed or slow-moving objects such as surface-to-air missiles.

When I stopped reading.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2017-02-28 13:00  

#17  I'd take that so-called report with a grain of salt. Jes' sayin'.
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839   2017-02-28 11:55  

#16  They started this mess the right way with a fly before you buy competition.

Then they took a good airframe with all of the right capabilities and tried to make a flying iPhone out of it. They've crammed everything but iTunes and Netflicks into the software and wasted a zillion dollars with that tail wagging the dog logistics program which has taken most of the attention while the fighting capabilities of the Killer Turkey have been neglected.

A good Program Manager could fix this by telling the technogeeks to sit down and shut up and start crafting a software package that is based upon pilot input and effective weapons delivery.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2017-02-28 11:46  

#15  Thanks Zhang
Posted by: Shipman    2017-02-28 10:02  

#14  you would be surprised at how many large scale software development groups have no understanding of software Quality Assurance processes. Actually good many do, it's just that proper QA gets in the way, if you know what I mean. The calendar sez 'ship it, so it ships
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2017-02-28 09:41  

#13  It's the DoD, that means it was written in ADA!!!

And in just one extremely long line of code.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2017-02-28 09:07  

#12  it can only target stationary or slow moving objects

Well...when it loses airspeed.
Posted by: Skidmark   2017-02-28 08:56  

#11  A blog comment on POGO's background:
POGO is just another anti-defense liberal group, composed of anti-defense liberal political hacks whose sole agenda is to deeply cut, and gut, America’s defense. The vast majority of the programs they call “waste” are actually needed military capabilities and weapon systems crucial to ensuring America’s national security and winning the wars of the future. Furthermore, in their drive to gut defense, they’ve buddied up with some of the most leftist groups in the country, including Code Pink and “Just Foreign Policy”[2], some of which are funded by George Soros.

POGO’s goal is not to eliminate “waste”. Their sole goal is to gut America’s defense.
Fifth generation systems like the F-35 do things that are qualitatively different from the existing fleet of F-15's, F-16's and F-18's. They enter highly contested airspace (i.e. China's or Russia's) crammed with sophisticated enemy air assets and air defenses, and hammer key stationary assets like radar stations, air bases or missile silos. In an all-out war situation, their survivability, due to stealth, will reduce our body count at home from city-busting Chinese or Russian nuclear ICBM's.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2017-02-28 08:21  

#10  That's not such a bad thing. Its primary mission today is to strike Chinese or Russian radar stations, AA installations and missile silos. Once that's accomplished, its secondary mission is to destroy their air forces. After that, B-52s, B-1's, F-15's and F-16's and drones can be deployed to conduct strike missions/turkey shoots against mobile ground targets. Its primary mission is to break down the door using its stealth capability, not serve as a bomb truck.

However, the article is likely to be complete garbage. Project on Government Oversight, the article's source, is a liberal organization. The modus operandi is to shade, distort or omit information. Here's something from the past about POGO's funding:

CREDO, which used to be called Working Assets, funds its activities by providing mobile phone and data plans that compete with AT&T and Verizon via its network operator, Sprint Corp. Users can direct a portion of their fees toward liberal political causes. "We are using the revenue from our customers’ mobile phone bills to keep the pressure on White," a CREDO spokesman said. In June, CREDO customers gave $87,503 to the Project on Government Oversight, a tax-exempt watchdog group that has criticized White and also called for Obama to replace her.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2017-02-28 08:09  

#9  C'mon guys it can't be Basic. Basic is easy to debug especially for the RT-!! system they're probably using.

C is a possibility since that can be written in a way that it is unintelligeble to anyone at all. BUT...............

It's the DoD, that means it was written in ADA!!!
Posted by: AlanC   2017-02-28 07:40  

#8  No surprise, as I mentioned before, the "killer turkey" can only achieve its kills by shooting a barrel of fish.

Even then, the fish has to remain still, if the fishes move around, their survival rate goes up.
Posted by: Seeking cure for ignorance   2017-02-28 07:30  

#7  'The Joint Strike Fighter cannot strike moving ground targets using the targeting system and weapons loadout delivered in its final combat Lightning II configuration, Block 3F.'

Block 3F also comes with a heated cockpit seat and Pioneer AVH-X5800BHS, DVD receiver.
Posted by: Besoeker   2017-02-28 05:31  

#6  Sounds like it was written in C.

More like BASIC...

Where have you guys been? It was written in microsoft vista because windows ME was not available.
And the CGI card thingy with the $400,000 helmet blutooth or some shit.

All of the above written by H1B1's speaking Hindi or Urdu. Which means only Indians know how to operate the thing.

Posted by: Angoger Panda5542   2017-02-28 02:56  

#5  Where have you guys been? It was written in microsoft vista because windows ME was not available.
And the CGI card thingy with the $400,000 helmet blutooth or some shit.
Posted by: newc   2017-02-28 01:58  

#4  Sounds like it was written in C.

More like BASIC...
Posted by: Raj   2017-02-28 01:13  

#3  the Block 3F being the most recent

The next major release will of course be 4F.
Posted by: Skidmark   2017-02-28 01:12  

#2  Sounds like it was written in C. If they have any kind of decent software QA, a list of bugs will be created, worked and each fix regression tested from the highest priority to the lowest.

Problem is, you would be surprised at how many large scale software development groups have no understanding of software Quality Assurance processes.
Posted by: Menhadden Smiter of the Hemps7992   2017-02-28 01:09  

#1  "It's a clusterfuck, sir."
Posted by: Raj   2017-02-28 00:17  

00:00