Post by Admin on May 31, 2020 6:10:36 GMT -5
Critics say this cripples the jet's ability to fight.
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The Department of Defense instituted regulations limiting how long some versions of the F-35 can fly at supersonic speeds.
The limitations were placed after damage was found on jets that had flown at Mach 1.6.
The pilot who flew the tests insists the damage occurred during conditions that would never materialize in real-world combat.
Critics say this cripples the F-35’s ability to fly and fight, claiming that not being able to operate at high speeds “could be the difference between returning and not returning from a mission.”
But a veteran test pilot who flew the F-35 says limitations placed on the jet during supersonic flight won’t operationally affect the aircraft. Lockheed Martin's Billie Flynn defended the aircraft and claimed there was no combat scenario where a F-35 pilot might accidentally damage the plane.
The F-35C can fly at a top speed of Mach 1.3 for 50 cumulative seconds, while the F-35B is limited to 40 seconds at Mach 1.3. The version of the F-35 used by the U.S. Air Force, the F-35A, can fly without restriction on speed.
link
The Department of Defense instituted regulations limiting how long some versions of the F-35 can fly at supersonic speeds.
The limitations were placed after damage was found on jets that had flown at Mach 1.6.
The pilot who flew the tests insists the damage occurred during conditions that would never materialize in real-world combat.
Critics say this cripples the F-35’s ability to fly and fight, claiming that not being able to operate at high speeds “could be the difference between returning and not returning from a mission.”
But a veteran test pilot who flew the F-35 says limitations placed on the jet during supersonic flight won’t operationally affect the aircraft. Lockheed Martin's Billie Flynn defended the aircraft and claimed there was no combat scenario where a F-35 pilot might accidentally damage the plane.
The F-35C can fly at a top speed of Mach 1.3 for 50 cumulative seconds, while the F-35B is limited to 40 seconds at Mach 1.3. The version of the F-35 used by the U.S. Air Force, the F-35A, can fly without restriction on speed.