The F-35B from Lockheed Martin is intended to replace the Hawker Harrier for the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy. Here’s a short video of the test plane in its first test of hovering and then a slow-speed landing:
H/T to Lewis Page, who writes:
Though the F-35 had been planned to be bought in thousands by the US forces alone, suggesting good economies of scale and affordable prices for export customers down the road, critics of the programme are now alleging that costs are so far out of control that the well-known military procurement “death spiral” process has set in: higher price, less planes bought, unit cost driven up even higher, even less planes bought and so on.
However it’s important to note that if the F-35 is successful it has the potential to destroy large amounts of the present global military aerospace industry. If it does get made in large enough numbers to be offered cheaply in time, it will be more sophisticated and yet cheaper than any other combat jet on the market, in all likelihood putting several of its competitors out of business in decades to come. This is probably a major reason why so many aerospace people are desperate for it to fail.
But there are others who feel that the Western fighter jet industry is overlarge, bloated, has no real threat to confront any more and is consuming funds which might be better spent on simpler things such as infantrymen or helicopters. They might be hoping that the F-35 can resolve its problems.
Earlier posts on the F-35, particularly from the Royal Navy’s viewpoint here.
Interestingly, I read this line —
— as —
Rather changed the whole tone of the article.
Comment by Lickmuffin — March 18, 2010 @ 10:43
Subject: Chaep sotfwarez and figther planes! Order now
Dear recipient,
Mockheed-Lartin Technologies announces the beginning of a new unprecendented global sales campain for deep dicsounts on F35 aircrafts.
Comment by Nicholas — March 18, 2010 @ 11:17