F35 vs F16

The F-35 is a carrier-capable (B/C), stealthy, VTOL (C), multirole combat aircraft. The F-16 is a dedicated air superiority fighter. It's comparing apples and oranges to put them up against each other.
 
I thought as a multi-role aircraft it would also take on dogfighting as well? I know the premise is to shoot before visual of the other craft, but we know how well that worked in Vietnam.
 
HomebrewerCraig said:
I thought as a multi-role aircraft it would also take on dogfighting as well? I know the premise is to shoot before visual of the other craft, but we know how well that worked in Vietnam.
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In the time of Vietnam, Russian planes were better than the American ones, far better, only determination and tactics prevailed. Those dark times are far past us.
 
Great points all around. My biggest take away from the exercise is that it may not be the plane as it is the pilot. I'm sure the F16 pilot has logged a few more hours than the F35 pilot.
 
The F35 is absolutely the biggest waste of money and time the US has ever experienced. The program went way over budget and yeah it is pretty much worthless when it comes to close air combat dog fights. Making 1 aircraft for all 3 services which participate in air combat will go down in history as one of the dumbest things our military has ever done. Sure it can perform multi roll missions but it will never achieve air superiority.
The whole purpose of having one aircraft for all 3 services was to save money and this thing has been the most expensive fighter ever. If there are avionics failures with this plane it pretty much becomes a lawn dart.
 
OfftheRails said:
The F-35 is a carrier-capable (B/C), stealthy, VTOL (C), multirole combat aircraft. The F-16 is a dedicated air superiority fighter. It's comparing apples and oranges to put them up against each other.
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Point taken but what the hell do we do when the F16, F22 and the F18's are all replaced by the F35? The F35 can't drop bombs if it is shot down by a better air to air foe..... Just some food for thought. What are we suppose to use to provide CAS once the F16s and 18's are decommissioned? These F35's just aren't going to get the job done.
 
OfftheRails said:
The F-35 is a carrier-capable (B/C), stealthy, VTOL (C), multirole combat aircraft. The F-16 is a dedicated air superiority fighter. It's comparing apples and oranges to put them up against each other.
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Being carrier capable has nothing to do with dog fighting. Depending on what block or series F-16 dictates what role it plays for instance, block 52's took over certain roles and are considered "multirole" aircraft but I don't recall the models at Luke. The 35 wasn't designed to compete with the 16's so in a way it is a bad comparison. This entire story/thread reminds me of all the butt hurt 16 pilots who were shot down by under powered F-15E models during training exercises. Not apples to apples either with the 15's which was and still is basically a bomber with multiple capabilities. The SALT treaties dictate how many bombers, not how many fighters so in essence all services have miulirole aircraft that are bombers with the F designation.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/multirole-aircraft.asp
 
U.S. Government upgrades these jets dated back from 1976 with modern technology. Excellent post.
 
SgtDeadred said:
Being carrier capable has nothing to do with dog fighting.
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Sorry mate, I can't agree. The landing gear, arrestor hook, and strengthened airframe all add weight to the aircraft, which increases minimum speed and lowers the acceleration for a given engine/control surface design. The Tomcat or the F-18 would be a reasonable comparison; the -16 was specifically designed as a "Light Weight Fighter".
 
I wonder how this "F22" would fair.

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Here's something I have been pondering. Iran has F16s and we are shipping F35's to neighboring countries right? So theoretically the F35 COULD go up against an F16 in an actual dogfight if Iran decides to go even more ape shit?
 
Something that hasn't been mentioned, and probably should be, is that the F-35 is at the very beginning of its career. It's got a few decades of envelope-pushing ahead of it, while the Falcon is as good as the Falcon's going to get.
 
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