Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is equally lauded and derided as the world’s most advanced and most troubled fifth-generation fighter. Considering its high price tag and various limitations, many nations in the AsiaPacific are pursuing alternatives, with several domestic fifth- and sixth-generation fighter projects underway. These are being spurred on by China – which to date has flown two fifth-generation jets – and developments and competition between regional powers.
With some 500 delivered to nine customers so far, the F-35 has a major lead over its competitors. Technically, the aircraft is one of the most sophisticated fighters on the market, with decent stealth capabilities, fused sensor information, enhanced situational awareness, network-enabled operations and an extremely sophisticated electronics package that includes comprehensive self-protection systems. However, the F-35’s high price tag has been a major issue, but as production increases, this is slowly coming down, with Lockheed Martin aiming for US…
Read more in the current issue of DRA (Free to read with registration or via Facebook/Linkedin): https://defencereviewasia.partica.online/defence-review-asia/dra-april-2020/features/fifth-generation-fighter-options
