I tire of breathless reports about the failings of the F-35 program that don't mention which variant they're talking about.
It's actually three different planes. There's so little commonality between them they should have been the F-24A, FV-25A and F/A-26A instead of F-35A, F-35B and F-35C respectively.
Never mind that it should never have kept the -35 designation from the X series anyway! If I get on a designation system rant I'll be all day since I don't think that F/A-18E or F and the related EF-18G should be -18 but should have gotten a new designation number. But the politics of acquisition spoke louder than using the defined system...
F-35 has a bulkhead crack! Some F-35B have a crack, and it is likely related to stresses from the front lift fan and the ginormous barn door on top. I've yet to read an explanation as to why they changed to that large door from the smaller ones.
F-35 tail-hook ineffective! That's specific to the F-35C. The emergency hook on the F-35A works just fine.
Grumble...
It's actually three different planes. There's so little commonality between them they should have been the F-24A, FV-25A and F/A-26A instead of F-35A, F-35B and F-35C respectively.
Never mind that it should never have kept the -35 designation from the X series anyway! If I get on a designation system rant I'll be all day since I don't think that F/A-18E or F and the related EF-18G should be -18 but should have gotten a new designation number. But the politics of acquisition spoke louder than using the defined system...
F-35 has a bulkhead crack! Some F-35B have a crack, and it is likely related to stresses from the front lift fan and the ginormous barn door on top. I've yet to read an explanation as to why they changed to that large door from the smaller ones.
F-35 tail-hook ineffective! That's specific to the F-35C. The emergency hook on the F-35A works just fine.
Grumble...