Sunday, February 4, 2018

‘A world of difference’: How RSAF’s first fighter jet compares to its current warplanes

As the RSAF marks its 50th anniversary, a comparison between its first and most recent fighter jets highlights its development as a lethal force.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/rsaf-first-fighter-jet-hunter-f15-f16-9914578
By Aqil Haziq Mahmud @AqilHaziqCNA
 (Updated: )

Ricky Lim · 
Singapore

Some people have interesting discussion about F22 vs F35 vs F15 vs F16 vs SU35.

I think many people may have alot of misconception about the capability of F35 vis-a-vis the rest - position it as "dog-fight" fighter.

F35 is never meant to be a dog-fight fighter - as 4Gen fighters like F15, F16, SU35, SU27 will beat it hands down - as it fly slower and lower than the rest.

F35 is a full-capability fighter where its main feature and functions are :-
(1) stealth - where other than F22 - the rest are not stealth - that has such a low signature in radar that it seems invisible - and can finish the job undetected by radar.
(2) sensors - to capture 360 degree battlefield information (full spectrum sensor fusion)
(3) network-array - where it can "talk", "share real-time information" with airforce, ground force, navy - where it can send information about adversaries air threat, ground to air threat in the most heavily guarded location to 4G fighters way before they pose a threat to the 4G fighters.
(4) beyond visual - it can strike beyond visual before any fighters can get near it to do a dog-fight.

F35 is meant to change the traditional way of airfight and air battle.
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Ricky Lim · 
Singapore

Bascially F35 can do those jobs that 4Gen fighters can't do.
F35 can't do such a good dog-fight that 4G fighters can do superbly.

So the General must know how to deploy F35 and complement it with 4G fighters.
F35 will provide a full comprehensive proactive battlefield information and perform well against harden defended positions plus other surprises that 4G fighters can't do.
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Ricky Lim · 
Singapore

If F35 sounds so bad, why would USAF commit such a big $ to buy such a large amount of F35 and discontinue F22 which is a more capable stealth fighter.
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Ricky Lim · 
Singapore

The aggregate F35 capabilities - with other 4G fighters plus other airforce asset put together - is a multiplier effects in the battlefied --- that no 4G fighters can put forth.

This is what is means.
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Ricky Lim · 
Singapore

A few F35Bs were sent successfully evading radar in a few sorties in real operating environment - where no ground-to-air missile radar and air fighter radar can detect them in all occasions.

It can even be configured to carry nuke bombs.
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Chin Chye
Anyway, I should say that we should give a big hand of applause to our late Mr Lee Kuan Yew for strifing to arm our country after the end of second world war.
It was him who gathered people to form and mordernise our air, land and sea force and in particularly the SADC, the name of our airforce in the past.
Extremely a very good job.
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Ricky Lim · 
Singapore

For Armforces in the early day, special kudos should be given to Dr Goh Keng Swee.

He is the Minister of Defense from 1965 to 1979.

 In addition to setting up a credible Armed Forces in the early day, he set up a credible local defense industries to maintain and sustain the enormous armed forces assets and platforms.

 It is the good foresight of Mr Lee Kuan Yew that appoint Dr Goh Keng Swee to set up a credible Defense force for Singapore from scratch.
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Chin Chye
Ricky Lim

Yes, fułly agree that special credit shld also be given to the late Dr Goh Keng Swee for being such a humble and friendly man thats in charge of Defence. An outstanding servant to the country.
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State-of-the-art F-35 fighter jet makes debut appearance in Singapore

 Yahoo News Singapore 4 hours ago 

 
 
 
Airbus Showcases Latest A350-1000 in Singapore Airshow
Airbus Showcases Latest A350-1000 in Singapore Airshow
Bloomberg Video
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If fighter jets were mobile phones, aerospace company Lockheed Martin’s F-35 warplane would be a 4G-enabled iPhone while legacy warplanes such as the F-16, which is used by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), would be a mere 2G phone.
That is the extent to which an F-35 supersedes older models, said Lockheed Martin’s F-35 business development director Steve Over.
“It’s going to be the same kind of technology disruptor, except in the fighter domain space. As an engineer I can tell you, they’re going to find ways to use this weapons system – these skilled warfighters –  that I can’t imagine today,” said Over, who spoke with Yahoo News Singapore at the Singapore Airshow 2018.
Two of these fighter jets – both F-35Bs – are in town for the first time, as part of the airshow’s static display, which will be open to members of the public this weekend (10-11 February).
According to media reports, the RSAF is evaluating the F-35s as an option to upgrade its current fleet.
The product of a US$400 billion (S$532 billion) weapons development programme – the most expensive in history – the F-35s are marketed as being far superior to other warplanes in areas such as stealth and communications.
While speed was imperative for fourth-generation fighters such as the F-16, Over said that this is no longer relevant for F-35 pilots, who can bank on their aircraft’s stealth capabilities as a combat advantage.
The new jets are less detectable to sensors as compared with older models. This means that pilots can approach their targets more easily, allowing them to strike first in a battle.
“Think of it like oxygen. We don’t think about oxygen, but if oxygen isn’t there, suddenly we become very concerned. So it’s like the stealth capability on the airplanes; they don’t think about it, but it enables them to do a vast number of things,” said Over.
Pilots operating F-35s also have a “god’s eye view” of the battlefield, thanks to an intricate sensor system exclusive to the jets, noted Over.
Sensors located around the aircraft’s exterior produce images, which are then stitched together and displayed on the pilot’s visor. This gives the pilot a 360-degree view of his external environment.
Another exclusive feature is the jets’ ability to communicate with one another in a precise and secure manner, said Over. In older models, plane-to-plane transmissions are more prone to interception from enemy warcraft, he noted.
“It’s a little bit like the difference between dial-up internet in the 80s and 90s, and the broadband internet that we have become very fond of now,” said Over.
Despite all the hype, the F-35s have also come under scrutiny. Detractors argue that the jets, which have been plagued by production delays, are too costly. US President Donald Trump even took to Twitter late last year to criticise the programme’s cost overruns.
However, Over maintained that the jets are still comparable in price to their competitors.
Citing a competition run by Denmark to select the most value-for-money fighter jet, he noted that the F-35 still beat its counterparts in the price category. Other aircraft that were in the running included Airbus’ Eurofighter Typhoon and Boeing’s F/A-18F Super Hornet.
“We were actually surprised that the acquisition price of the F-35, was about 50 per cent less expensive than other fourth-generation airplanes,” said Over.
An F-35 currently costs between US$94 million to around US$121 million.
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Pilot injured as S. Korean jet catches fire at Singapore Airshow
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