Royal Navy an USMC F35B on combat missions.

[Tikka]

I see the new RN Carrier group has gone into combat against ISIS.

It would seem the Russians are keeping a keen interest in the F35. I hope the F35 is living up to expectations.

Here's praying everyone stays safe on our side.

British aircraft carrier deployed in first direct action against Isis

 

[wpod]

Does issis have an air force or other nation support that field their air to air combat capabilities.

 

[UncleDave]

Does issis have an air force or other nation support that field their air to air combat capabilities.

Nope, but you know that.

They likely have a decent number of small anti aircraft weapons though.

Accurate air to ground is vital in any modern conflict

 

[wpod]

I Guess it is a way to get some hours on the planes.

 

[y_p_w]

Nope, but you know that.

They likely have a decent number of small anti aircraft weapons though.

Accurate air to ground is vital in any modern conflict

They’ve been making do with consumer grade UAVs rigged to launch or just transport explosives.

 

[Tikka]

Nope, but you know that.

They likely have a decent number of small anti aircraft weapons though.

Accurate air to ground is vital in any modern conflict

Hi
They captured a lot of kit from Iraqi military so my guess is they will have AAA and shoulder fired missiles. Should not bother an F35 at altitude.

 

[edyvw]

Hi
They captured a lot of kit from Iraqi military so my guess is they will have AAA and shoulder fired missiles. Should not bother an F35 at altitude.

Nope, but there goes your close air support.

 

[Astro14]

Nope, but there goes your close air support.

?

CAS requires detailed integration with troops in the FEBA.

That may mean sensors on target, or it may mean manual weapon targeting.

It does not require low altitude delivery.

If there is one thing at which the F-35 excels, it is sensor integration.

 

[edyvw]

?

CAS requires detailed integration with troops in the FEBA.

That may mean sensors on target, or it may mean manual weapon targeting.

It does not require low altitude delivery.

If there is one thing at which the F-35 excels, it is sensor integration.

Sure, I was more referring to role A10 is fulfilling. I understand that that it excels in sensor integration, but what about more classical CAS where low altitude might be required?

 

[Astro14]

Well, that’s sort of what I’m saying…the A-10s primary weapon requires low altitude because of both the gun’s range and the need for a pilot‘s eyeball to guide it.

With the weapons and sensors on the F-35, low altitude may not be needed.

If you can achieve the same effect (target destroyed) from a different sensor/weapon combination, then the delivery altitude is irrelevant.

With FACs who can transmit mensurated coordinate data, the B1 equipped with JDAM is an awesome CAS machine.

Large payload, long loiter, high speed dash to new TIC situations. Lots of Weapons delivered. Threats eliminated. All good.

What makes CAS unique is the detailed integration of fires/effects in close proximity to friendlies, not the altitude at which the delivery is performed.

Just because the A-10 did it one way, doesn’t make other ways less effective if they’re able to achieve the same effect.

 

[edyvw]

Well, that’s sort of what I’m saying…the A-10s primary weapon requires low altitude because of both the gun’s range and the need for a pilot‘s eyeball to guide it.

With the weapons and sensors on the F-35, low altitude may not be needed.

If you can achieve the same effect (target destroyed) from a different sensor/weapon combination, then the delivery altitude is irrelevant.

With FACs who can transmit mensurated coordinate data, the B1 equipped with JDAM is an awesome CAS machine.

Large payload, long loiter, high speed dash to new TIC situations. Lots of Weapons delivered. Threats eliminated. All good.

What makes CAS unique is the detailed integration of fires/effects in close proximity to friendlies, not the altitude at which the delivery is performed.

Just because the A-10 did it one way, doesn’t make other ways less effective if they’re able to achieve the same effect.

Absolutely agree.
But, we both know real life works differently.
Now, I am not saying suddenly they going to start to come down from the sky like crazy, as it’s not like ISIS and other guys had any success taking down other planes, but bit more serious opponent could limit effectiveness.

 

[Tikka]

Sure, I was more referring to role A10 is fulfilling. I understand that that it excels in sensor integration, but what about more classical CAS where low altitude might be required?

Hi Astro.
The Russians are showing a keen interest it would appear.
Could you tell us what exactly the Russians will be trying to learn please?
I am guessing that this will be the first time they have been able to share air space and observe the F-35 in a combat role.

 

[Jetronic]

I doubt that, there's american F-35 at incirlik, and israeli F-35 in israel and over Lebanon/syria, both in easy reach of the S-400 and S-300 batteries. They will be interested to see if there are differences with the US and Israeli versions mostly.

Same as the HMS defender going past Crimea, it's propaganda by nature.

 

[y_p_w]

That may mean sensors on target, or it may mean manual weapon targeting.

Wasn’t that a plot device in a Michael Bay movie? It was that Marines had died from attacks while being on the ground pointing lasers at targets, while pilots got the credit for the success of their laser-guided munitions.

 

[edyvw]

Absolutely agree.
But, we both know real life works differently.
Now, I am not saying suddenly they going to start to come down from the sky like crazy, as it’s not like ISIS and other guys had any success taking down other planes, but bit more serious opponent could limit effectiveness.

They will try to pick up anything F35 radiating. That is why countries fly airplanes close to other countries' borders to pick up reaction time, radiation signature etc. They will try to figure out anything they can, from flying profiles, combat performance, to radiation. As well as we will try to pick up anything from their latest equipment that is deployed like S400.
One thing about Russians in Syria is that they really surprised everyone with the accuracy of their GPS-guided ammunition. That is further indication that Putin got a lot of things in their military in order.
Every time you engage any equipment in battle, the other side will pick up performance and try to find weaknesses. Good militaries try to figure out where their own equipment failed or underperformed. West was always good at that. Russians not so much as often that was seen politically as unacceptable.

 

[y_p_w]

They will try to pick up anything F35 radiating. That is why countries fly airplanes close to other countries' borders to pick up reaction time, radiation signature etc. They will try to figure out anything they can, from flying profiles, combat performance, to radiation. As well as we will try to pick up anything from their latest equipment that is deployed like S400.
One thing about Russians in Syria is that they really surprised everyone with the accuracy of their GPS-guided ammunition. That is further indication that Putin got a lot of things in their military in order.
Every time you engage any equipment in battle, the other side will pick up performance and try to find weaknesses. Good militaries try to figure out where their own equipment failed or underperformed. West was always good at that. Russians not so much as often that was seen politically as unacceptable.

There’s typically some sort of device to increase the radar signature of most stealthy aircraft. I would think that they don’t normally want signals intelligence to get a better idea of the capabilities just on an escort mission. They’ll see them coming. I saw a couple of F-117s at an air show, and the crew chief was pointing out the device, which was about the size of a fist. They normally fly with that unless it’s a specific mission to test the stealth capabilities.

OK - they’re called Luneberg reflectors.

 

[edyvw]

There’s typically some sort of device to increase the radar signature of most stealthy aircraft. I would think that they don’t normally want signals intelligence to get a better idea of the capabilities just on an escort mission. They’ll see them coming. I saw a couple of F-117s at an air show, and the crew chief was pointing out the device, which was about the size of a fist. They normally fly with that unless it’s a specific mission to test the stealth capabilities.

OK - they’re called Luneberg reflectors.

It is not all about the signature, but what is aircraft emitting.
Shoot down of F117 over Serbia is very good example how all these pieces come together. They did not shoot it down just bcs. they were lucky.

 

[y_p_w]

It is not all about the signature, but what is aircraft emitting.
Shoot down of F117 over Serbia is very good example how all these pieces come together. They did not shoot it down just bcs. they were lucky.

Wasn't that tracked when the weapons bay opened?

 

[edyvw]

Wasn't that tracked when the weapons bay opened?

In the last phase. And that was briefly.
They tracked airplane throughout the flight, on and off. The Key was that they figured out how other airplanes were behaving when stealth mission was going.
I will try to find some readings in English on this. There are some really good analyses and some filled with politics.

 

[UncleDave]

One thing about Russians in Syria is that they really surprised everyone with the accuracy of their GPS-guided ammunition. That is further indication that Putin got a lot of things in their military in order.

GPS or Glonass?