tflash

Maybe we are just not confounding pocket calculator/wikipedia reasoning with advanced aerodynamical computing ? The DoD has a slightly different approach as yours: there are still thousands of test points to be accomplished in the F-35 programme, and at the moment, to give one example, the complete flight envelope has not been cleared yet and a performance assessment has not been made. Add to this that in current designs, software is a key factor in performance. I remember a software update that gave Swiss or Finnish F/A-18C aircraft higher AoA capabilities and better turn performance. Or a software update that allowed for fuel consumption reduction on F-18E/F. So while you made up your mind using card game data, engineers are still performing thousands of tests to assess true performance of the aircraft, knowing that even when it goes operational that will not be the end of improvements.

Indeed, there is a case to make that F-35A can take over roles from F-15C.

... And it is just plain and simple better at everything than the Harrier, which they fly from 8 Wasp-class Assault ships.

Flying doctor: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123334469 Performance-wise the F-22 is breaking new ground, pushing the limits!

Hé, weren't we waiting for a patch lately? I almost forgot all about it!

Hello Marcos, As I see it, performance tables on F-35 today are not so relevant since the test aircraft have not opened yet the full flight envelope and there are still limitations on AoA, altitude, speed etc. The simplistic theories of wing area etc are also of limited use since the blended, lifting body design of F-35 is the result of way more complex computational models. To me, all evidence points out that: - a combat-loaded F-35 will have comparable to if not better performance than a clean F-16/F-18 class fighter while offering considerably more range; - it will see those 4-gen fighters first so no need to fight physics to "get into their six" - the F-35B beats the Harrier in all relevant aspects by a large margin, whether it is payload, range, speed, manoevrability, avionics, ease-of-flight, etc ... and with some good luck the UK will even have a carrier for it! And do you really think the test programme is running that much worse than that of V-22, NH-90, A-400M, Tigre etc. ?

Imho this whole F-35B grounding thing is a non-event: http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/asd_01_30_2013_p01-02-542267.xml&p=1

MV-22B Night Training MV-22B Night training:

For the trap see 5:37 or 5:50

V-22 airstrike: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21095503

All Boeing 787's grounded! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21054089

We dont buy this Sov13t, we know this is just a Russian scheme to make us believe they still only have old R-27R while secretly these are all hypersophisticated ultra-secret R-27EA's ! You can't fool us any longer :=)

Very compact! Compare this to COD or Stallion stowage and you see some opportunities for V-22!

Nice!

I'm also a fan of Boeing's 787 but as many other planes its introduction is a little bit marred by problems: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-boeing-dreamliner-review-20130112,0,5802912.story

+1

Both the A-10A AFM and Su-25 6DOF sound as music in my ears!

With 7 crashes and 36 fatalities in a 12-year span, I certainly do not want to claim the introduction of the MV-22 has been a smooth one. It is one of the last aircraft designs that introduce genuine new mechanical complexity; most current designs avoid this and focus on electronics instead. I still find an open MV-22 nacelle a little worrying sight: http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1641628&postcount=10899 But I think in 2012 we came to a point where it has become a standard part of transport equipment. This hasn't come easy and is for the moment without any competition. It would take > 10 years for others to rival this design.

XM607 Vulcan XM607 - Falklands' Most Daring Raid:

So strange my favourite plane is now for "free" so to say! But I did enjoy buying FC3 to rediscover the incredible vanilla Su-25 ! What a joy to fly, these birds! A job well done, ED!

Is it planned to fly from Kuznetsov also? That would indeed be transformational, since SU-33 has only limited A/G weaponry.

Done. Sorry for that.

Agree it's not a good criterion. But what is your pick then, for 2012?

Adding to the listmania, what would be your pick for military aircraft of 2012? I do not mean an aircraft launched in 2012, but an aircraft that definitely made its mark this year. For me, MV-22 Osprey tops the list: the Marines pulled this challenge of and I think they finally got it going. It brings something radically new to the table, and if there is one aircraft I would like to take a ride in, it would be this one. [edited] But maybe the most important were the transport aircraft like C-130J and C-17: absolutely world-class performers. Nominees for 'failure of the year' must be include NH-90 and Airbus A-400M, examples of how to botch things up in every conceivable way. Since Belgium has both on order, I wonder when we will ever see them in service. Remember in 2011 this prize went of course to the MRA4 Nimrod, leaving the competition behind by a large margin.

Accident in Vnukovo footage edit: oops ... was already posted!: