(Washington, D.C.) The F-35 is well known for its stealth configuration, long-range, high-fidelity sensors and advanced computing, but what about a less-often noticed ability to launch an aggressive, all-out, first-strike aerial attack?
At the Air Force’s exercise several years ago, the F-35 made headlines for its ability to find, track and destroy a larger number of enemy fighters from long distances without being seen itself.
This wargame scenario, closely replicating actual combat, enabled an F-35 to save a number of its friendly blue force fighters by alerting them of impending enemy attacks. While extremely effective and potentially even paradigm-changing when it comes to combat operations, this combat performance could be described as somewhat passive, defensive, or static to a degree as it relied upon sensing enemy activity from safe stand-off distances.
“The biggest difference between fourth-generation fighters for me was with the fourth generation, I was always managing all the different systems, from electronic warfare to the weapons to the radar to any kind of targeting pod, any kind of sensor I had. I was 100% focused on making sure they were all integrated within my own cockpit in the fourth generation……..whereas what I’ve seen in the F-35 is that it’s all done for you.
The enhanced electrical warfare that we have in the F-35 allows us to get much closer ranges on some of these threats coming on board, as well as having a magnificent radar that allows you to shoot beyond visual range before any enemy would even detect you. So that’s a huge advantage with the fifth-generation fighter,” Monessa “Siren” Balzhiser, F-35 Production and Training Pilot, Lockheed Martin, told me in a special F-35 pilot interview.
