If the F-22 is so good, why'd the US buy the F-35?

It's not uncommon to hear people talk about the F-22 and F-35 as though they both fill the same roles, but the truth is, they have very different jobs.

Here's a breakdown on the differences between these aircraft, and their places within America's approach to air warfare.

#short #shorts #airpower #f22 #f22raptor #f35 #stealth #stealthfighter

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[MaxwellAerialPhotography]

The fact that people can’t wrap their heads around the fact that the Joint Strike Fighter, is in fact, a mutlirole fight bomber, is kinda worrying.

[grimmig]

The US invested in the F-35 because it was promised that it would perform the same roles at a much lower price and maintenance cost. The F-22 is also nigh impossible to upgrade/update unlike the F-35 which was designed to be modular and easy to keep up to spec for many years to come.
Whether the F-35 program achieved its goals is debatable though.

[ThirdLawPair]

The F-16 was a ground attack aircraft? I thought it was optimized for dogfighting and that it supported the air superiority mission of the F-15 by being a cost-effective supplement to its larger brethren.

[isaacjones]

Don’t forget that the F-35 has more advanced datalinks and sensor fusion. It can lock onto a target and a destroyer can use that targeting data to launch its own missile and vice versa. Legacy aircraft only have Link-16, which is good for knowing where the enemy is, but not good for shooting them down

[timper]

The F-35 is cheaper now also, thats the main reason, and it's more advanced.

[MrUNCLESAM]

F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet left the building

[IM]

reformers rolling in their graves at "f-16 made for attack roles"

[westtex]

Cost is also a factor. The F-22 was even more expensive (not surprising given that it has 2 engines vs 1). In particular, the stealth capability on the F-22 is also said to be much more expensive & difficult to maintain. One of the goals of the F-35 program was to increase maintainability of the stealth system/coating.

[eyoutube]

I like to imagine the F-22 as the top tier special forces soldier. Fewer in number but with high skills and beastly capabilities in operations.

While the F-35 are like the Army Rangers or USMC. Good all-around muscle that still retains a high level skillset.

[TheEulerID]

Not to forget that the F-35B variant provides a VSTOL capability, and the US Marines are rather keen on that (as well as the Royal Navy, if that matters).

[fredbyoutubing]

If you tag along F-22s with F-35s the F35s are free to attack ground targets while the F-22 watch their backs. That's the point.

[trplankowner]

The F-22 was designed to dominate airspace by destroying enemy aircraft. The F-35 was evolved into an aircraft meant to suppress and/or destroy enemy air defenses. Both aircraft can also do other jobs and do them better than any other aircraft in the world.

[ddbbtwr]

F-35 can also launch from carriers where the F-22 does not have a hook attachment to land on a carrier.

[BasicBobby]

The F-16 is not an attack aircraft. It’s a lightweight multi role fighter, initially built for air to air combat and very little air to ground. Its range is still too little for interdiction and long range strike missions. And while the later blocks are proven bombers, they’re not USAF’s primary attack aircraft—that’s the F-15E and A-10.

The F-35 was primarily meant to replace the AV-8, F-15E, F/A-18C, Super Hornet, A-10 and to finally fill the void that the A-6 and F-111 left behind.

While it is replacing the F-16, it’s replacing the F-16 primarily in short-range air-to-air and the secondary precision strike role of the F-16.

[anxietygamingactual]

Doesn’t the F-35 also have a much more advanced avionics and datalink system? Could swear I heard somewhere that the F-22 hasn’t been kept fully current / on parity with the F-35’s tech.

[SleepingSounds]

The F22 isn’t for sale. The F35 is. A lot to do with money.

[Istandby]

As far as I know, the F-35 was built as an aircraft that was low observable that could be sold to other countries.
Because the u.s. didn't want to sell the F-22 and give it's technology away.
The B-21 has the same RCS as the 22.
The only aircraft that had better RCS than the 22 was the YF-23.

[East_Coast_Toasty_Boy]

The Falcon was an air to air fighter too. I heard the Lightning is supposed to be air to air as well, but it's not too fast for a jet. But it does have more range than any other aircraft.
Based on what I heard of it, it's more of a jet sniper than a fast, dog fighter.

[lesliegrayson]

F 35 is able to do it all and is cheaper...

[TewiNews]

Hot take I rather be in a Block 4 F-35 then a F-22 in BVR