Message posted by Magoo on October 24, 2000 at 19:06:17 EST:
Busy day at Edwards then what with the Shuttle landing there later the same day! The X-35 is a good looking airplane! The next few months leading up to the announcement of which contender best meets the performance, commonality and budgetry criteria should be interesting. If it were down to looks, then they should just park the Boeing version now! I'd like to hear the opinion of those of us who may be in the aviation industry or military (or ex-) as to whether you'd like to send your guys off to war in the airplane that was built by the lowest bidder and had to demonstrate the highest commonality between three markedly different versions, or whether you'd like them to be in the best airplane. Obviously cost is a factor (just look at the B-2!), but I still have my doubts as to whether a production JSF will be viable because of the intense restrictions and tough criteria placed upon it. There will be a conventional take off (USAF), a V/STOL (USMC, RAF, RN), and a naval (USN) version of this aircraft, and one of the criteria is that the three versions must retain a high percentage of commonality. They tried to do this with the F-111 38 years ago, which led to the cancellation of the naval F-111B model after only three prototypes were completed. For those residents of Rachel, no doubt you'll see these two aircraft flying in and around the Nellis ranges against the various radar ranges over the next year or two. Keep those cameras handy...! Magoo
In Reply to: X-35A is Airborne! posted by Secret Services on October 24, 2000 at 13:31:11 EST:
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