Despite controversy, nations embrace the F-35. Discover the decisive advantages driving this stealth fighter's continental dominance and its operational superiority.
by Kris Osborn, Warrior
Several years ago, Switzerland’s decision to acquire the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter seemed to send a ripple effect through the European Continent, leading some to suggest that indeed the 5th-Gen aircraft will become a unifying NATO-Europe thread of continuity if not begin to emerge as the stealth fighter for the “free world.” In subsequent years following Switzerland’s decision, Germany and the Czech Republic have also joined the F-35 community of nations. The pace at which new countries have embraced the F-35 tells its own factual story, a reality seemingly at odds with the consistent criticisms being levied at the F-35 program.
Many are likely to wonder how this happened, as the F-35 journey has been complex, marked by controversy and embattled by a chorus of critics and cost concerns for many years. Certainly the program's early pains have long since subsided and the aircraft is heralded by pilots and militaries alike, but there must be additional reasons for this massive F-35 global expansion?
F-35 vs 4th-Gen Fighters
Just what is it that makes the leap from 4th-to-5th generation so decisive with the F-35? Why does there appear to be a massive overmatch or discrepancy between the targeting, detectability and combat effectiveness of the F-35 when compared with upgraded 4th-generation aircraft? Such a statement, something possibly considered an exaggeration during earlier years in the F-35 program, is far from theoretical. Air Force war games such as Red Flag have for years shown that a single F-35 is capable of seeing and “eliminating” groups of advanced 4th-gen aircraft from ranges where it remains undetected.
Also, there are now many years of US and European pilot testimonials, live fire tests, multi-national drills and war preparation exercises lending credibility to the stated merits of the aircraft. There is also the simple, unavoidable reality or fact that F-35 customers have exploded throughout the world, as the program has evolved from eight or nine member-nations to 18 in recent years. Some may be inclined to ask why countries consistently choose the F-35, particularly given the European Typhoon, Rafale, Eurofighter and a handful of allied and rival-nation 5th-and-6th generation stealth fighters at various stages of production and development.
Swiss Analysis
An interesting assessment performed and published by the Federal Council of the Swiss Government outlines the parameters and variables which informed its decision to purchase the F-35. Prior to announcing its decision to purchase the F-35, the Swiss government and military conducted a thorough investigation, assessment, test or “fly-off” among a small group of candidate aircraft under consideration.
A paper published by the Swiss Federal Council in 2021 called “Air2030: Federal Council Decides to Procure 36 F-35A fighter aircraft,” details the scope of the fly-off.
“The Federal Council based its decision on a comprehensive technical evaluation of four new fighter aircraft candidates (Eurofighter by Airbus, Germany; F/A-18 Super Hornet by Boeing, USA; F-35A by Lockheed Martin, USA; Rafale by Dassault, France).”
Technical Advantage
Certainly the Swiss paper cannot be oversimplified into merely a few words, yet it does unequivocally state that a determined F-35 “technological advantage” drove the decision. Another critical two-word phrase used in the Swiss report is “information superiority,” a phrase often associated with discussions of the F-35s sensor fusion, high-fidelity long range sensors and computing power.
“The F-35A achieved the best result because it has a marked technological advantage over the other candidates: it includes entirely new, extremely powerful and comprehensively networked systems for protecting and monitoring airspace. The F-35A is able to ensure information superiority; this means pilots benefit from a higher situational awareness in all task areas when compared with the other candidates,” the Swiss report says.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The HistoryChannel. He also has a Master's Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia