F-35 Joint Strike Fighter?

Question

What is the point in the variants of the F-35 that cannot take off and land vertically?

Answer 1

The VSTOL variant uses a shaft driven fan mounted behind the cockpit. This increases weight, decreases fuel, and increase maintenance cost and devreases the pilot's view to the rear.. The Naval and Air Force variants have longer range and lower cost. Basically, if you don't need an abilty, there's no point in paying for it.

*EDIT*  More specific differences between the F-35B and the F-35A  and C  are:

The B model is only rated to +7g, the others are good for +9

The B model is 3500 pounds heavier

It carries 4500 lbs less fuel

It has a smaller weapons bay and thus cannot caryy 2000lb bombs or the AGM 154

It has no gun.

These are all sacrifices made for STOVL abilty. Those sacrifices aren't necessary for the Air Force an Navy variants.

Answer 2

Not all branches need vertical takeoff & it is probably cheaper & lighter without that system. The F-35 JSF had weight problems at first when it was in the experimental stage, it was to heavy & they had to lighten it up.

Answer 3

The Air force has the variant equipped for VSTOL, the Navy's has been equipped for the stresses of carrier based ops...every branch has a model best suited to the thearter of ops in which it will engage an enemy.

I personally think they ought to have incorporated the VSTOL design into the Supercat. Unfortunatly, the F-14 has been retired.

bad mistake, if you ask me. For what it is worth, the USA no longer has an Air Superiority Fighter. I like the super hornet, but it's range, payloads and armorment don't match up.

Answer 4

The main F-35 that can vertically take off has so much technology to take off vertically that theres no room to put weapons or anything like that. The variant that cant do a vert. take off dosen't have the technology to go vertical so theres more room for weapons

Answer 5

Well, they can still take off from most airstrips and aircraft carriers, like the Hornet and Tomcat. I'm not sure they even use the Harrier as a VTOL in normal situations, rolling take offs and ladings are more efficient. Are they building new aircraft carriers without flight decks?