Originally posted by Viper52:
Might as well compare apples with oranges...
Taking the statistics of a 25 year old design that pioneered jet VTOL flight and using it to trash all VTOL designs and an aircraft that is literally at the cutting edge of aerospace design today hardly seems fitting. I'm prepared to give the F-35 a chance before dismissing it as rubbish based on the record of a design that has almost nothing in common with it other than by taking off and landing in a similar fashion.
Besides, what has the servicability record of the Harrier have to do with how good/bad the F-35, or even VTOL is?
And BTW, the AV-8B is used by the US Marine Corps.
viper52,
sorry for the late reply because i have been pondering what you have said......
well, given that f-35b is still relatively unproven, pass performance in VTOL might be a good predictor of the future... that can be said in engineering...... that is why i compare av-8b with f-35b.....there might use different technology, but hey until f-35b works, the future is uncertain.
secondly, given that the VTOL is a more complex technology given more movable parts than conventional a/c, we might expect that more time/manhours/$$$ are need to maintain the VTOL a/c than a conventional more.... so cost wise, this is an issue here. as well, given that present VTOL a/c have a lower serviceability rate than conventional one, it is fair to say that we can expect that future VTOL will also have a lower serviceablity rate than a conventional a/c given more complex technology and moving parts
thirdly, the operational radius of f-35b is less than that of f-35a, more flexibility vs less operational radius? that is a trade-off which our planners need to consider.
fourth, given the initial cost of f-35b is more thant f-35a, and assuming the maintainence cost for f-35b is more than f-35a given more complex technology, is it worth the incremental cost in getting f-35b instead of f-35a? i don't know the answer here........since the f-35b can do a VTOL or a shorter take-off than f-35a.... in a operational sense that is the biggest advantage for us.....
i am not disputing or rubbishing f-35b, but given a higher cost to maintain/pruchase, lesser range, an expected lower serviceablity rate, we will have a strategic adv of operating an a/c which do not require a long runway to takeoff or land... this is a trade-off we must study carefully....