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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNew U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019
The Pentagons newest stealth jet, the nearly $400 billion Joint Strike Fighter, wont be able to fire its gun during operational missions until 2019, three to four years after it becomes operational.
Even though the Joint Strike Fighter, or F-35, is supposed to join frontline U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadrons next year and Air Force units in 2016, the jets software does not yet have the ability to shoot its 25mm cannon. But even when the jet will be able to shoot its gun, the F-35 barely carries enough ammunition to make the weapon useful.
The JSF wont be completely unarmed. It will still carry a pair of Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM long-range air-to-air missiles and a pair of bombs. Initially, it will be able to carry 1,000-pound satellite-guided bombs or 500-pound laser-guided weapons. But those weapons are of limited utility, especially during close-in fights.
There will be no gun until [the Joint Strike Fighters Block] 3F [software], there is no software to support it now or for the next four-ish years, said one Air Force official affiliated with the F-35 program. Block 3F is slated for release in 2019, but who knows how much that will slip?
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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/31/new-u-s-stealth-jet-can-t-fire-its-gun-until-2019.html
msongs
(67,381 posts)Man from Pickens
(1,713 posts)The F-35 is a case study in the corruption of our political system brought on by the military-industrial-banking-lobbying complex.
Arcadiasix
(255 posts)upaloopa
(11,417 posts)These jets are not made for just one configuration.
Those guns are only good for short blasts anyway. I doubt they need them
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Arizona as to what the deal is. McGrumpy and Pal fought the cancellation of this turkey. And you wonder why the Tax Payer gets a bit pissed.
AwakeAtLast
(14,124 posts)"Not the Onion"!
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)The ammo count in is actually in line with other fighters with that caliber cannon - 180-300 rounds is pretty common - but the fact that it (1) requires specialized software to fire (2) that has not yet been developed is ... impressive.
EX500rider
(10,834 posts)http://strategypage.com/htmw/htairw/articles/20141231.aspx
jmowreader
(50,546 posts)If they absolutely NEED to go put holes in someone with an F-35 before the software is developed, some enterprising crew chief will duct-tape a pushbutton switch to the pilot's control stick, wire a relay to the button, and wire the relay to the firing terminal on the back of the gun.