The F-35 Joint System Program Office responded to a blog report—picked up by many other blogs and major British newspapers—alleging that the F-35 can’t beat the F-16 in a dogfight. The War is Boring blog, which quoted a “for official use only” test pilot report, argued the F-35, in a close-in, turning dogfight, could not best the F-16. The SPO acknowledged the document seemed to be genuine, but said the piece “does not tell the entire story.” Spokesman Joe DellaVedova said the F-35 in the report was an early test model, not equipped with production-representative mission systems software, stealth coatings, or sensors “that allow the F-35 to see its enemy long before it knows the F-35 is in the area.” The jet was also not equipped with the missiles or software needed to allow the pilot to target an enemy with his helmet-mounted system. The test was meant to give the F-35 a “visual reference” to fly against and demonstrate that it could fly to “the edge of its limits without exceeding them.” He said the F-35 is meant to “engage, shoot, and kill its enemy from long distances, not necessarily in visual ‘dogfighting’ situations.” In multi-ship engagements where four-ship flights of F-35s have engaged F-16s, “the F-35 won each of those encounters because of its sensors, weapons, and stealth technology.” The release of the out-of-context document is being investigated, DellaVedova said, but test pilots are always encouraged to offer “candid feedback … because it makes what we do better.”
Boeing has only delivered two KC-46 tankers to the Air Force so far in 2021, despite USAF officials saying they expect that total per month, as the service has slowed the delivery pace of the aircraft. Though there are more aircraft ready at Boeing’s facilities, Air Mobility Command is slowing…