• MachineFab812@discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 month ago

    The F16 is more useful to Ukraine at the moment. Until Ukraine is approved to engage in deep strikes on Russia, that will probably remain the case.

    The F16 is faster, more maneuverable, and cheaper(including maintenance), vs the F35.

    • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Yeah I’m just worried about Russia AA, maneuverability doesn’t help as much anymore, neither does speed, it’s all about staying alive and stealth is life.

      • MachineFab812@discuss.tchncs.de
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        1 month ago

        No need to worry about ground-based Russian Anti-Air if you’re staying away from territory under Russian control. If the Su-34’s Air2Air capabilities were much good, we wouldn’t be here reading/discussing OP’s post.

        Stealth(F-35 “stealth” anyways) ain’t shit versus Russia’s ground-based assets. It’s use in an all-out invassion would be more down to its beyond-the-horizon capabilities, if they even served well there. Try to keep up.

        Seriously though, Russia, and Russian territory, are sooo not the match-up you want for the F-35, no matter how much of the complex’s Kool-Aide you’ve drank. This isn’t the war, not even the right hemisphere, that it was designed for.

        • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          You do have to worry about russian AA, they have Buks everywhere, and even S-300s near the front lines, those have serious range.

          Their Tu-22M3s fly far behind their own lines to launch missiles, as will their Su-34s from here out, so you’ll have to get closer and closer to threats in order to meaningfully intercept now.

          This is the exact same bs that’s happened since the beginning: Ukraine gets a new toy, Russia hides behind their lines, Ukraine’s toy becomes less useful.

          Finally, after the russian soil authorization is given, the F-35 can bring strike capability to Russian soil, which is the best way to win this war.