The F-35 is an impressive disaster. On the one hand, its high-tech helmet is a technological marvel. The F-35B's hovering tricks are awe-inspiring. On the other hand, the Joint Strike Fighter is just out-and-out bad at some really basic fighter jet stuff. A new report from a test pilot really lays it bare: The F-35 can't dogfight.

The issues are laid out in a previously private but now non-classified report obtained by War Is Boring. In it, a F-35 test pilot enumerates his issues with the aircraft after a series of mock close-range engagements with the older, trusty F-16 back in January.

The pilot was flying a single-seat F-35A with no weapons in its bomb bay or under the wings. Meanwhile, his wargame adversary in an F-16 was dragging around two extra fuel tanks. Even so, the pilot reported that the F-35 was far too sluggish to hold its own.

War Is Boring quotes the pilot's report as saying, "Even with the limited F-16 target configuration, the F-35A remained at a distinct energy disadvantage for every engagement." The pilot lists various gripes such as insufficient pitch rate, a persistent energy deficit compared to his opponent, and a bulky helmet that made it hard to look backwards. He summed it all up saying, "there were not compelling reasons to fight in this region." In other words, the F-35 couldn't hack it.

The F-35's story has been troubled for years now. Designed with variants that are supposed to please three branches of the military, so it has a lot riding on its success. But between repeated production delays and ballooning costs that top a trillion dollars, the JSF may ultimately prove to be a fighter too hampered by compromise during its long and arduous development.

The F-35 is slated to go into service with the U.S. Marines in December 2015 and with the Air Force in December 2016.

Source: War Is Boring

Update: The Joint Program Office for the F-35 has issued a statement in response to he test pilot comments published on War Is Boring. It does not refute that the F-35 is bad at dogfighting, but rather points out the the F-35 is designed to eliminate enemies before a close-range dogfight would ever happen:

The F-35's technology is designed to engage, shoot, and kill its enemy from long distances, not necessarily in visual "dogfighting" situations. There have been numerous occasions where a four-ship of F-35s has engaged a four-ship of F-16s in simulated combat scenarios and the F-35s won each of those encounters because of its sensors, weapons, and stealth technology. The release of this FOUO report is being investigated. The candid feedback provided by our test community is welcomed because it makes what we do better. The disclosure of this report should not discourage our warfighters and test community from providing the Program Office and Lockheed Martin with honest assessments of the F-35's capabilities.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io