ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration Team pilot and commander performs a high-speed pass in an F-35A Lightning II during the Heart of Texas Airshow April 7, 2019. (Senior Airman Alexander Cook/U.S. Air Force)
Submitted by Julian Macfarlane.
The F35 is the greatest boondoggle in American history, as one writer says, “too expensive to use, too expensive to lose”. Over its lifespan, it will cost the American taxpayer $1.7 trillion. An F35B costs $138 million dollars and over $36,000 an hour to operate.
Intended to replace the F16, the F35 is slow, maneuvers sluggishly and cannot fire its new lightweight Gatling without destroying the housing and the airplane. It suffers from 13 “class one” defects that endanger both the aircraft and its crew. And 871 flaws that must be corrected before it can be fully operational—in 5 years.
Still, the US has managed to force this aerial junk on a lot of its allies, most recently the UAE, which has prompted the Israelis who have two squadrons of the F35 and mostly use it for PR, to ask for the F22, which, of course, they can only afford to buy with American money.
Last year, there were reports that the Syrians had downed an F35 over Syria with a Soviet era S200. The Israelis claimed a bird did it—over Israel. Nobody really knows.
The Syrians certainly shot something down! And it wasn’t an…um…bird.
However, it is unlikely that the Israelis are using the F35 over Syria. Losing an F35 to the Syrians–especially to a large anti-Zionist Syrian crow – would be too big embarrassment. Most IDF strikes inside Syria seem to have been carried out by F16s, which are faster, carry more ordinance and have the maneuverability to avoid incoming missiles if they detect them early enough.
Another point….
Gen. Tod Wolters, who leads U.S. European Command, offered this explanation:
“You cannot operate an F-35 in the vicinity of an S-400. They won’t talk to each other, and what the two systems will attempt to do, certainly the S-400 against the F-35, is attempt to exploit the F-35’s capabilities.”
The US, of course, has been using the F22 in Eastern Syria and Iraq within range of Russian systems, which now reportedly can detect even this more capable stealth aircraft.
Yes, the Americans tried out the F35 in Afghanistan, since locals throwing rocks weren’t much of a threat. The sales point of the F35 is “stealth”, which is only fine–when your opponent doesn’t have much in the way of advanced radar equipment.
“Stealth” is not invisibility.
An S400 real time anti-stealth radar system can certainly pick up even a large bird-sized object, at 150 km, especially when moving at 700km per hour, which is a giveaway.
The Russians have yet to allow S300 or S400 launches in Syria thanks to a tacit agreement with the Israelis not to exacerbate regional tensions: so, it is not just that the very, very pragmatic Israelis don’t want to use the unreliable F35 over Syria, whose antiaircraft systems to be so much more sophisticated than, say, Lebanon—they don’t want to provoke the Russians.
The last time they did that, the Russians supplied the Syrians with the S300–albeit keeping control of these systems. The warning is obvious: there are redlines.
The Pentagon doesn’t really want this dog. Dogs don’t fly.
But, as in the Yeltsin years in Russia, the US government works for the nation’s oligarchs, a country for Big Tech, by Big Tech, of Big Tech.
Since the US has had to fight a war on its own soil, the nation’s “defense” industry is a malapropism: all its wars are offensive. If the weapons don’t work too well — it doesn’t matter–because the US doesn’t fight anyone but third world countries. The more expensive and complicated the weapons are, the better it is for he companies that make them. How else can a poor CEO buy that second island in the Caribbean and a new private jet?
It also doesn’t matter that the America lost to little Vietnam, ended up losing Iraq to Iran, and soon leave Afghanistan, its tail between its legs. It is even losing in Yemen.
Of course, bullying other countries is more of a problem when your equipment doesn’t work. The new USS Ford, super carrier in the South China Sea? It can’t launch its aircraft. The UK’s new carrier which is supposed to show the flag against China? Its F35Bs can’t fire their guns. In any case, carriers are nice targets for hypersonic missiles.
The Russians and Chinese do defense differently – because for them it actually is defense.
When Putin took over, he made it clear to the oligarchs who previously owned the country that they either deferred to the State, or got out. Some went to prison. Some got out. Russia is still very unequal but the Rich toe the line just as they do in China.
When the Ministry of Defense is not satisfied with a military product, either in terms of cost or performance, it simply cuts orders. This was the case with the Su57. Originally, the government had envisioned putting up to 250 of these aircraft into service by 2025. Now, Russia will get 76 aircraft at a 20% reduction in cost, with better engines, hypersonic weapons, electronics, improved stealth and general finish. And the Su57 will cost about $35 to $40 million each compared to the 138 million of the 35B or the $300 million of an F22. One reason for the discrepancy is that US companies expect the taxpayer to pay R&D and developmental costs, which are added to the flyaway cost. Of course, the companies use that R&D for lucrative commercial projects as well.
Russia doesn’t have money to spare. It is still recovering from the Yelsin years and massive inequality. So it keeps defense companies in line.
The Su57 is a good example but also the T-14 (Armata) tank, where orders were slashed until the contractor promised to a. reduce costs; b. address performance issues.
Putin made clear that Russia is a developing democracy. In the end, the people will rule, oligarchs or not.
By contrast, the US is an “inverted totalitarian state”, or, if you like a “managed” democracy. It is not really a modern state in germs of governance, since it is defined by an 18th Century constitution and institutions, designed to prevent rather than enable democratic rule. The US loved Yeltsin because his “system” was really theirs.
US has the largest defense budget, by that virtue alone the F35 should be one of the best platforms in the US military….based on deranged thinking. One Air Force general argued before the congress that the A10 had to be retired to make room for F35 that had superior air to ground capability.
Its not based on deranged thinking. The problem has been its implementing has been full oif bad managements and delays.
But I can smile too. Denmark had war with the Brittish in 1807 and they took Our navy. Making a new navy demanded many oaktrees and many was planted, but when they were big enough we used iron and steel for ships.
Then Denmark had build a steel industry but when it was ready the new ships were made of Lego
….and now more like Playdough.
I dont see that. We invent and construct very small things and are doing well.
The Marslander has 4 Danish made things on it. The program for the helicopter is Ours too even we dont know where itt will go or can. Unfortunatly they have priobl https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/06f893f79681c7e59b5ebb0abb9728020ba588bc62c55050a077570ca6aa2edb.jpg ems with it.
Here is a picture.
Small things also are microsattelites,whch can do simple but advanced things very well.
Thet thang is a LONG WAY from a battlefield, buddy.
Yes, things change during time. The Danish Maersk Mueller and others actualy build their own ships. We now buy all the big vessels and are doing well.
Constructions like that need cheep labour and Poland and South Korea s much better then that.
Maybee not Lego, but it possible. TFor many years we have been doing well in all kinds of plastic.
We invented the windpower systems, which now are copied and improved all over the world.
….finally Denmark opted for the Chinese Carrier Killer and laughed at enemy navies.
That’s why China navy don’t go at large too often cuz other could steal the Carrier Killer from them.
They’ll be docking in Iranian Persian Gulf ports soon enough.
I guess the Yanks will flee.
They tried to build an eagle and ended up with a winged pig.
…and how much of a kickback did he get from contractors for THAT ~insight~? LOL.
Never hear before. Nice to see the worries for their taxpayers instead of the own ones. Thats really solidairity of the best.
The apport seemes to come fra an Armata digged deep in Syria. vuf vuf mijav oink
Russians are always worried of NATO taxpayers, but only when it comes to arms.
Its a bad habit.
It’s funny how the copy some parts of American anti gov discourse then shoving Great Leader of the Fre World Putin in the same propaganda like Americans who had enough with too big government woukd like an even bigger one like Russia’s.
F-35 the aircraft that became the poster boy representing “The Sunk Cost Fallacy.” It’s like US military is determined to lose the war it’s provoking against an alliance of countries US cannot defeat in conventional war. US has no advantage in using its nukes, any launch of nuclear weapons towards Russia, and/or allies, initiates a counter-attack that is targeting US Strategic Command Centers, ICBM bases, and decision making centers. Russia has it’s hypersonic weapons deployed, while US can track these incoming, it has no defense. The chance Western nukes will reach their targets is slim, given the speed, and accuracy of Russian defenses, the incoming nukes will be intercepted before reaching Russia’s border’s. Those launched from EU bases. The West does have it’s big military, spread thin worldwide, and at the ends of long lines of communications. Very expensive logistics, and very vulnerable to disruption by enemy action. The military technology is old much of it not upgradable, eight plus years of deferred maintenance, no replacements for hardware being retired from service, and of the new technology that exists exactly none of it comes close to being serviceable. Unfit for combat, unreliable, continuously breaking down, needing to be towed back to port, for repair. Prone to catching fire, the carrier Ford is still undergoing trials over the next 4 year’s, still can’t launch aircraft. This is pitiful. There’s no means to manufacture domestically this was moved offshore, last count US has 180(+/-) million unemployed since the 2006 crash. No jobs have returned, these people lost everything, and are dependent on Government assistance for survival. No one in the vicinity of their right mind wants to be dependent on our beloved Government for anything, to be dependent for survival needs is beyond terrifying
Great comments.
Seems to be a grass roots movement in the US to go off grid and eat a la Man vs Wild type food sources. Even the show Survivor gives Americans some small insights into survivalist skills and if more pursued these, they may just come in handy one day….simple things like making fire with a flint.
No bullets left to shoot deer? Trap them or my favourite tho yet to try it, use alcohol soaked food sources to get the animal drunk and just walk up and slaughter them.
I recognised the latter method when a crow ate some slugs that had fallen in a beer trap near my veggie patch and had a hard time standing upright, let alone flying, for about an hour. LOL.
ps. …and no, I don’t eat crow. :)
It shows You level well. You not even check his assumptions. The unimplyment rate for USA is very visible and for 2020 it´s 6,9%.
You seemes to have no idea about numbers. Maybee numbers for You are red and green or maybee shoes and thent.
You think its great half of USA dont work even they should or could. But its not like that. His number must cover retired ones, children andpeople in education -OR- assuming that poor people dont work. But most poor people do work, but they are low paid and therefore even so poor.
I see the US education system has failed once again.
Yes it does. They systematicly has saved too much money from the start of schools and intoto low and midle class educations.
By that they reduce the ones, which can do the advanced and relative anvanced jobs and by that the low class people in % grown and the middle class decline.
Their systems for education for all is like several other jobs. They make it “cheep optimized” BUT they expect cheep optimized dont get gabs. tt does.
It very visible for the police force. You cant expect low educated and low paid doing the same good job as fx Ours. Next those people often are the only replacement for social workers, which they certainly is not qualified for as well.
That was what the hard reduced Obama care was for. The pressure for mainly the low paid or the ones being in almost no jobs should be helped by care, so they atleast was able to maintain descent but often low paid jobs.
We see the results here. Healthy people, where the children are kept relative well are not in the steets all day long and make all kind of stupidities. Their children are in free daycare in relative well structures and get at least some input.
Bad education or none is very much connected to other things. USA need expertice which understand that. We mainly dont see that.
Go play with your Duplo, child.
I do:) with my grandchildren
Jesus H. Christ….I had you pencilled in as about 11 years old.
Its a funny farce reading Your bla blah.
If it was like that, we were collapsed with dollars, Euros and no trousers on long time ago.
More like we see You with none.
You of course relate to Your own louzy unproductive sitting on Your hands unless You visit the toilet.
It must be hard work to maintain that kind of systematic illiterate stupidisme against all facts.
USA never has had 180 million unimployed in the period since 2006. They have had up to 165 million poor, which is not the same as being unimployed. Most of them more or less work, but they only get about 10 dollar pr Our and are compensated at least some by their wellfare systems.
You have no idea abouit definitions for who sj´hould work. In the group which should work the unimployment rate in 2020 was 6,9%.
So another version of You horrifying mistake might be, that You expect children and old people to work as well as the many in the education system:(
Run that past me again about someone else being illiterate……
Its as written. Very much as a lot is running PAST You.
Normal people dont expect any country can have more then half of the population starving in the strreets hardly having an umbrella.
Being poor is not the same as having a job, having a job sometimes or part time. Old people mainly has at l,east some pension even in USA andpartly free healtcare. Most children dont work or at least they have very small and easy jobs.
“Most IDF strikes inside Syria seem to have been carried out by F16s, which are faster, carry more ordinance and have the maneuverability to avoid incoming missiles if they detect them early enough.”
Untrue. IAF attacks use stand-off missiles fired from either Lebanese airspace or from the Eastern Mediterrean Sea. Their aircraft don’t enter Syrian airspace as its now too dangerous.
Right, after a Zionistani F 16 was eliminated by an old Syrian S200 they no longer enter Syrian airspace.
Yes but they found other methods
Well, all they are hitting are dummy sites, so who cares what the idiots do?
Sure thing
Better to strike at the airfields they took off from. Specifically, Control towers and landing zones.
Yes, General!
Well, that’s what I’d do. Before long there won’t be a viable military airfield in the whole of Israel.
It’s what you’d do if you was…?
Ever read Sun Tzu…..the Emperor’s Army story?
No but it’s my pleasure to meet you here.
LOL. Why?
Always happy to meet wise people.
That story is sometimes told differently:
‘If true, it wouldn’t be the first time the Russian leader does a favor for Israel. Putin allows the Israeli air force (IAF) to conduct airstrikes against the Iranian axis in Syria despite the deployment of sophisticated anti-aircraft missile shields such as the S-300 and S-400. He apparently also used his influence over Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to prevent the Syrian army from using its own S-300 system against Israeli warplanes that was delivered by the Russians to the Syrian military in 2018. Putin also absolved Israel from responsibility for the downing of an IL-20 reconnaissance airplane in September 2018 when Israeli warplanes flew over northwest Syria to conduct a strike on the Iranian-held T4 airbase.’ https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/analysis-putin-special-relationship-with-israel-and-the-jews/
Pure speculation.
for all 999% zionist brainwashed dummies………. here is the PUNCH line that i have been writing about for years now….
“The last time they did that, the Russians supplied the Syrians with the S300–albeit keeping control of these systems”.
southfront got it right this time,….ty…..
the russian military have 100% fire control of the S-300 given to syria……
so all of u 99% brainwashed dummies, you can now quit with your questions, Why syria has not yet used the S-300 against the hundreds of IDF attacks……. because SAA is not in charge, the russian military has 100% fire control ober the S-300.
and this brings me back to the obivous for anybody not zionist brainwashed..
Putin is a treacherous zionist pig.period.
ps. the S-300 is so strong, it could down the IDF planes even if their in israeli or lebanese airspace…and the attacks would stop in that very second.And as mentioned numerous times also by SF, the IDF attacks always coincide with attacks on SAA by ISIS or al nusra. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out this equation, that as long as IDF can FREELY atatck day in and day out with their partners of isis and alnusra , the home army of SAA will never be able to kick out the invading and occupying parties.
putin you trecherous zionist pig
ps2. It was the honourable sergei shoigu, now defense minister, who was in charge of military operations in syria when the russian observation plane was shot out of the air caused by direct doings by IDF planes while bombing syria with over 12+ dead russian soldiers………it was shoigu who was pissed as hell, it was shogui with the S-300, it was shoigu who DID NOT want to meet with the israeli delegation…………… and as SF published correctly(you can still find the article here at SF) , it was more than dubious that shoigu had to leave syria, and was made defense minister…read SF article on that story..great research………. 2 weeks later in moskau, PUTIN meat with BIBI….ALL SMILES…..ALL HAPPY……no need to worry….the S-300 system will not engage IDF planes………. PUTIN the treacherous zionist pig.
I think Shoigu is a POS as well, but the rest of your commentary is right on the mark.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9964a7a134b7b2ecd74531a4da1456ab741e234619bba828c9bd6c1b16946147.jpg
fekn fascist creep,you going down fakehearts!
Best line in the article…..
“However, it is unlikely that the Israelis are using the F35 over Syria. Losing an F35 to the Syrians–especially to a large anti-Zionist Syrian crow…….”
Instead of focusing on its own citizens super poor China expanding its military.
On Tuesday, Apr. 13 local authorities stated that a road accident in the city of Hechi, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region killed six people and wounded another three.
6 Chinese killed in road accidents yesterday
Thats highly incorrect. Numbers says they have a fast growing middleclass. At the times of Chairman Mao, they had none.
GDP confirms it. They also are handling starvation well. As a child I remeber we ave them money or food to make bread.
Now the Chinese buy land in other countries as some kind of Neocolonialisme. But the result also is, they send a lot of all kinds of food home.
And yes, growth makes a lot of problems to solve as well. We also see a lot of smog because they use cooal and some parts of those powersystems not even cleand it. So they have to choose for making scleaner air or more hospitals and doctors.
Its the same for cars. You have to have very develloped road systems for them and also good drivers.
I heard a couple of chinese cats had a fight in the street as well. It’s simply outrageous innit?
I don’t know about the F-35 being too expensive to lose, the F-22 maybe, the B-2 definitely. The fear the F-35 has is that the world will find out it’s stealth is overrated if it tries to go into well-defended airspace anytime soon. Then Lock-Mart would lose contracts and it would drive the cost of the aircraft up further. The US ‘defence’ (offense) industry is purely focused on profit after all.
The Syrians shot one down….musta bean the Israeli mods weren’t upta scratch. Pmsl.
FYI: Israeli “modifications” involve painting the Pissraeli flag on tha bird, apparently.
Well, well,
Southfront finally admits in this article that the Syrians have NO CONTROL over the S-300s that the Russians DID NOT GIVE to the Syrians because the Syrians CANNOT USE them.
There was not even a PR nor propaganda reason to fake giving something which doesn’t work to one’s ally. Therefore, the ONLY REASON the Russians are admitting their perfidy is because it was discovered and leaked to the public. The Russians are trying to rationalize their treachery by suggesting that they have a deal with Israel. Even then the Russians are shooting themselves in the foot because that constitues a glaring admission that the Russians’ REAL ALLY is Israel and NOT Syria. How else could the Russians collaborate with the Jews and enable the Israelis to bomb and kill the Syrians with impunity?
Dear friends,
Do you realize that Russia, Israel and NATO in collaboration effectively emptied Syria of its civilized population, with only Assad-administration-friendly forces and their families left, fighting against the depraved Muslim terrorists of ISIS et al?
Putin is collaborating with Erdogan and the Turks to commit GENOCIDE in Syria. Putin and the Russians have BLOCKED the application to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to prosecute the Turks’ horrible crimes against humanity and genocide which Turkey has committed in Afrin, Syria: https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/2020/06/08/Turkey-is-committing-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-in-Syria
I have argued that Putin’s long-game is to replace the “US” as Israel’s protector. Ties between Israel and Russia run very deep. Given the historic blood relations with Russia and the rich intellectual resources of Israel, Putin would only paint himself as an international fool by seeking to alienate or destroy Israel entirely by dealing them a heavy hand.
But this is only problematic for those who do not make a distinction between the Jewish people and the handful of parasitic, sociopaths known as Zionist “Jews” who only seek to serve their own dark interests of power and control.
With the unmistakable power shift going on in the Middle East in conjunction with the unraveling of domestic politics in the “US” and any semblance of national cohesion, it is only a matter of time before the Washington regime is unable to defend Israel’s interests and this transition to Russia will begin.
It may be somewhat gradual. But should conditions change too rapidly, we can be sure that contingency plans are already in place to welcome Russian paratroopers onto Israeli soil and for mass evacuations of Israeli citizens to Russia through well defined air corridors. For Jews in Israel nothing is unthinkable.
The real question is whether Russia can check the rabid and toxic influence of the Zionists once this historic transition occurs. If not, it will be Russia’s road to ruin, just like the “US”. If so, it will significantly contribute to Russia’s ascent.
‘Here is a photo of the application for the passport of the Russian Federation and as we see, Vladimir Putin’s mother is Jewish.
Here is what the Russian philologists wrote – The historical origin of the Shelomov family from the Hebrew male name Shlomo. The ending of the last name means that it was a member of Solomon. Solomon was the most revered Jewish king.’ https://www.quora.com/Was-Vladimir-Putins-mother-Jewish?share=1
A jewish king is named ‘Nasi’ in Hebrew…
Putin is russian orthodox true and through,save the crap for soros+ co liar! Putins family were victims of the traitorous khazar jew/askenazis (period)
You may also hear from the horse’s mouth:
https://torah.com/learn/2019/01/15/chabad-mossad-and-the-kgb/
It seemes some toxins has hit You.
The Russians hasnt changed a single thing for many years apart from commas. And Your own stubberness deny to see that.
The Soviets/Russian produce way better armaments than Yank Junk tecnologies.
The Soviets built a space shuttle called Buran. It could take off, go into Space AND land without a crew. Never saw the Yanks do that OR bring down astronauts unto LAND rather than the easier Yank option of splashing about in an ocean. LOL.
The only thing ~exceptional~ about Yanks is their STUPIDITY.
“rich intellectual resources of Israel…”
You must be joking!
Israel buys or steals ideas, it doesn’t have ANY original thought.
Russia is already ruined.
The Bolsheviks morphed into the “oligarchs” and never stopped.
Even at the height of the Cold War, the USSR never stopped selling Russian oil for American dollars. Hello? Supporting the petrodollar system with Russian oil is EXACTLY the same thing as aiding and abetting the enemy — the supposedly mortal enemy of NATO?
NATO=Israel=Russia
Putin is a Jew anyway: https://www.quora.com/Was-Vladimir-Putins-mother-Jewish?share=1
P.S. All Jews (except for some controlled opposition) support Israel and NO Jew EVER criticized the Talmud which is what makes a Jew, a Jew. Not even Noam Chomsky rejects the Talmud. All Jews are Zionists, whether they admit it or not.
Had a look at the UK or the US lately? Snafu for the foreseeable future.
BOTH have collapsed.
But Russia did it first in 1917.
I hate to tell you this but it isn’t 1917 anymore.
Would you love to tell me it’s much different than how it was back then?
I’ll leave it to your tiny (Israeli) Zionist mind pretending to be a Pom…….
You show your ignorance here, rather badly as well.
NO – all Jews are not Zionists, quite the opposite in fact.
Have you met a single Jew who rejects the Talmud? Not even Noam Chomsky repudiated the Talmud.
Talmud=Zionism Jew=Zionist
The Orthodox jews hate the Zionists.
You are lying.
If so, what are the Orthodox Jews doing in Israel?
Only the messiah was supposed to lead them there?
By their presence in Israel, the Orthodox Jews are damning themselves as the hypocrites and liars that they all are.
Begone racist eugeddon soros flog,you are a disgrace to the union jack too,ww2 traitor!
Crap again from You. People of SF cant admit things, they never has denied.
According to You Russian feet probatly look like this too. Most people for yesr ahs known the S400s are controlled by Russia even they have educated Syrians to handle and fire them. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1d707e83209b4a9934bde108dba02902ec85c59f24cf00abec231ee7790d8423.jpg
Load of nonsense. Next.
Hey – I am from Manchester (UK) and I support Syria and Russia 110% in this war and every other war against US and Israel war mongers.
Personally I think you talk shyte and thus you are probably Brigade 77.
USA ARE TREACHEROUS FASCIST PIGS (PERIOD) Any fuckwit thinks otherwise remains only just that (period) Exactly why you smash ’em by the truth,then go about never argue with soros idiots: Fekn pooftas always trying to blame the real deal christians,never you mind all going down(period)
Israel says it has “modified ” the F35….yes, by painting an Israeli flag on it. Pmsl.
“By contrast, the US is an “inverted totalitarian state”, or, if you like a “managed” democracy.”
I’ve noticed more essayists, authors and commentators have been using the phrase “inverted totalitarianism” to describe the US and it pleases me. This phrase was the very one that, while I hate to use the phrase, “woke me up” and set me on a path od new discovery. I would’ve never of found Southfront and many other alternative sites if it wasn’t for Dr. Sheldon Wolin and his coining of the phrase. I’d probably be following Bernie and AOC, being led in circles instead of thinking for myself
“……which has prompted the Israelis who have two squadrons of the F35 and mostly use it for PR, to ask for the F22, which, of course, they can only afford to buy with American money.”
Hold on! Israel is supposed to have a robust economy, can’t they afford to BUY the F22 with their OWN Shekels….rather than BEG?
I think this is one of the best videos I have seen – and that is saying something on SF – absolutely brilliant. Thank you.