It was designed to be the pinnacle of modern aerial combat design, the most potent and advanced fighter on the planet, and one of the single most valuable assets in the US military.
The incredible fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II layout has it all: supersonic speeds, groundbreaking stealth systems, overwhelming firepower, advanced avionics, electronic warfare capabilities, and even vertical landing options.
With an astronomical project price tag that is expected to surpass one trillion dollars; the US is willing to pay a steep cost to guarantee the continued air supremacy of the United States for decades to come.
But what was meant to be the most capable fighter on Earth soon became a problem child for the Pentagon. Severe flaws were found during testing time and time again, issues so significant that they had to be kept under wraps to avoid America’s enemies from exploiting its weaknesses…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.
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The French Gen5 stealft fighter is far superior to the F-35, as is the Russian Gen5 stealth fighter.
That is why Germany is not buying the F-35, and Finland and Sweeden and Norway and Britain and Iceland and Poland and Netherlands and Greece and Italy and Canada and Denmark and Japan and Belgium and Australia and Israel and Spain are not to buying the American made F-35. Instead they have all decided to buy the French Gen5 stealth fighter, when it comes out in 2042.
It sure does suck to have the United States in your corner when you wake up one day to see that your shit just got real doesn't it?
This fighter's goal was to generate billiions of dollars in campaign cash and kickbacks, just like everything else the defense department does these days. Members of congress are happy, defense contractors are happy, the pentagon doesn't know or care where the money went and our kids are stuck with the bill.
When a trillion dollars is spent on developing a fighter …
"hold up, wait a minute, something ain't right."
I'm glad someone tells it like it is. If I was near peer, I'd fill the skies with so many F16 and 15s that your super expensive stealth swiss army knife will run out of ammo.
Were the engineers at Lockheed/Martin not familiar with the phrase: "Jack of all Trades- Master of None"??
I don't recall any of these videos mentioning EMP survivability – especially since these fighters can deliver nuclear payloads. I can only guess that the planes have some kind of EMP hardening or they'll be dropping from the sky like darts when a nuke detonates. But I'm not an aviation expert.
I do think most of them problems in development are due to trying to figure out the absurd technology requirements that this thing needed to to outclass other countries but some can just be contractors just squeezing out money out of this contract as much as they can. My company does that, "well this is gong to cost us more than we thought", amounting to 2- 4% of extra costs on average for small minor stuff but 2% of a trillion is $20 billion.
Just think of it: War breaks out and no one can afford to fight.
They fixed everything a long time ago foo!!!!!
Such a state of the art aircraft is bound to have 'teething problems', that's only natural. Uncle Sam's decision to put all its eggs in one basket made the F-35 a project too big to fail, meaning that no matter the problems, a solution will always be found. So the future looks bright for this bird, as shown by the increasing number of countries joining the Lightning II community.
Meanwhile Russia can fire hypersonic missile from many old platforms and strike anything in range. Where are the new missiles to go with these "stealth" fighters 🤔
As the plane can only fly supersonic for less then 60 seconds cause the stealth paint burns off would have to say this is a subsonic fighter jet . As far as stealth that probably isn't even a thing now with new radars that can easily see this plane so it isn't the most agile isn't supersonic , doesn't Hardly an improvement compared what came long long before this bird like the F22 , F15 , F14 , F16 , F18 , F106 , F104 , F4 heck a F86 Sabre jet from 1950 could probably out fly this Turkey This was supposed to be a cheap version of the F22 yet it is less stealthy and cost over 30 thousand dollars a hour to operate vs 22 thousand for the F22. . As far as stealth that probably isn't even a thing now with new radars that can easily see this plane so it isn't the most agile isn't supersonic , doesn't carry much weapons and can't fly very far
The STOL version will never work that well.
Sorry, but the music is disruptive and sounds like what an epileptic seizure might sound like.
Finlad have a deal with Lockheed too
Most of the "issues" with the F35 are really more of knit picking at minor problems that wouldn't really even be considered by other countries with less resources to develop the platform.
Just makes you wonder what they have in the air now since they are showing/talking about this set up
Oh man someone get Canada on the phone! You know that new fighter you been looking for? Well listen to this!!!
Overly expensive overly complex, it will be interesting to see how much further over the budget it goes, amazing on paper, until it loses its broadband connection 🤫
Trillions in cost overruns and it still can't perform. Meanwhile there is already a proven platform that can bust balloons. If I was a used car salesman, I'd put that POS at the back of the parking lot.
But we want the f22 raptor……. No lol
What you want and what you get
Will always be two different things
It's less about the viability and future viability of the 35 airframe, and definitely about the Corporation who ended up laughing all the way to the Billions in the Ballpool Party and Write-off Rave 👍
This is complete BS , I have many friends that have worked on and are working on this plane . I can tell you nothing you hear in this video is true !
Hey its a show truck. show up in battle and slowly disappear and let the work trucks do all the heavy lifting. Work trucks like F15ES, F16, F18 do all the work like as always. It was not Lockheed martin that was the problem, it was a concept of servicing all three branch all at once. The demand from three clients make a turkey plane. The best America aircraft done in desperation in the middle of war where there is more real world feedback. look at the A10 and F16, F18 they came after and during failing in Vietnam. They forgot the KISS rule. Keep it simple stupid . cheers
Notice how these Chinese "Spy" balloons were shot down by the F22 Raptor? Why not the F35?? Because the balloon outmatched the F35, superior to it in everyway!!
One minor thing, the naming. Yes, it was named after the Lockheed Lightning, but the English Electric Lightning as well. As the UK are a significant partner in the Project, it was agreed by both countries to name the F-35 Lightning II as a homage to both original Lightnings, not just the Lockheed one.
It has problems…. but they can be fixed. It's going to be worth it to have a powerful multipurpose fighter
I heard of that.
I don't think they made the f-35 to replace the F-22 they made the f-35 to be in all purpose quarterback pretty much. Also be able to fly with drones they will release there new gen6 platform to replace the F-22 soon and after seeing the B21 raider it's going to be crazy
What a great thumbnail,look at the cost of theB29 it cost more than the bomb,they had magnesium fires in the engines they couldn’t but out, but they went forward with it , but 25 years is long time maybe the aliens 👽 will have to help (sorry couldn’t help it )
Still my favorite jet
there is no one size fits all in this game. This program was always going to be a rats nest.
America's enemies – don't you mean Americas clients learning they are buying rubbish!
"Throw it in the gutter and go buy another".
-Eazy
I remember when JSF got started. The idea that a single plane could fulfill all three roles was never going to work. It didn't work for the F-111 either, the naval version got cancelled! Promising low cost was a scam by the military and defense contractors to get funding from congress.
The irony is that now that Northrup Grumman has shown success with the B-21 Raider. There are rumors that the USAF have secretly contracted with Northrup Grumman to develop a 6th gen fighter. With many believing the 6th gen prototype proof of concept vehicle the USAF admitted flying was designed and built by Northrup Grumman. Now suddenly Lockheed has started crash programs to fix the F-35's major problems including its stealth coating wearing out much faster than promised. All of this sudden push by Lockheed is because they know their monopoly on next gen fighters is gone and they have to actually compete in market.
There is only 900+ F-35 in the fleet today
The F35 is a promising platform. This statement doesn't show any confidence….
People seem to underestimate the importance of stealth, being almost undetectable on radar is such an advanced feature against aircraft relying on BVR combat. Not being able to detect an aircraft that has already detected you and sent a missle towards you is ground breaking in modern dogfighting where maneuverability does not matter.
They have actually got the purchase price per plane comparable to other 4th gen fighters
More secretly flawed than the SU-57? 🤔
And exactly why the F16XL was a missed opportunity. At a significant cost savings. Thus allowing the White Elephant known as the F-35 to be avoided while a more optimal plane with possibly less modifications needed to achieve what we now have regardless of it's advanced hardware. Also the RAM issues might have been solved sooner or discovered sooner.
Yes it had bad teething problems. Mostly due to the "B" version. But when you look at the capabilities of the fighter now with the blk 4 version being upgraded too, its impact on air warfare is over whelming. Theres a reason everybody wants the F-35 and why so many countries are lining up to buy it.
Huh? Why is this recommended again?😂 anyway, let's put it this way, a ww2 GI with his Garand may be said to be waay less armored than a knight but that GI will be more useful in more situations than the knight.
F-35 IT IS NOT 5 GENERATION. Don't have Super Cruse and don't have super manuvers. If we cut 2 of requirements SU-35 , Euro Fighter and many more become 5th. LOL
Too bad the airframe life is only rated at 2000 hours, 1/4 of the 8000
hour life of the aircraft it was meant to replace, the harrier. All this CAD/CAM manufacturing turned out an expensive joke foisted on the long suffering American taxpayer.
All planes have flaws as result of the engineering model/framework. Why cry over spill milk? It make me feel better would be my answer. We stuck with a plane which overtime is well document or over documented with useful and useless write-up. It is also over engineered and overbuilt for maintenance, safety, not economical cheap to give the widest possible profit for many middlemen who did not contribute anything and eventually the F35 under performs because of it. In future, many enlisted and officer will aid their own useless or useful solutions too for the engineering of the F35. For example, look at the knocks off of some our jets. For example, the F18 has several knockoffs. Even the China J31/J35 is a knockoff F35. Most of these planes can do Mach 2 or better. The threat now is hypersonic. Russia who is supplied by China have used and WILL USE Drone, Ballistic Missile, Hypersonic Missile and Cruise Missile. Kinematically, our jets should be able to do hyper-sonic intercepts which is combination of jet platform and the air to air missile interceptor. PS the solution is to go through Chuck Yeager Speed Engineering….to get the planes up to MACH 2 or faster which was did during the R&D process. How about during the lifetime of the F35? This is new economical engineering/upgrade planning process that can be manipulated to show that it is economically feasible. Someone other the original manufacture should be assign this processes.
Every pilot I've seen talk publicly of this fighter rave about it. The amount of monkey work it takes off their shoulders so that they can focus on the battle cannot be overstated. Just compare the number of switches and dials in older aircraft… Probably hundreds… to the five or less present in the F35.
The only complaints I've heard so far are the the touchscreen can be insensitive at times, requiring multiple touches just to activate on screen buttons, and the look-through effect apparently isn't that useful.
Personally, I'm happy if the public (and our enemies) think this thing is flawed. That's actually a great tactical advantage for us!!
We built a crappy fighter and the Chinese copied it lol