https://www.thedailybeast.com/america-is-stuck-with-a-dollar400-billion-stealth-fighter-that-cant-fight Details of some previously unreported issues.
They should dump all undelivered orders and make them go back and get all tooling and suppliers back online for the Raptor to be made with those funds. What a mistake to cut that production so short.
The F-35 is going to be fine. The fight of the future with a symmetric opponent will involve a LOT more than two guys alone in the air, trying to outsmart each other with raw power and finely tuned nerve.
Did you read the article? It referenced Defense News. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/06/12/the-pentagon-is-battling-the-clock-to-fix-serious-unreported-f-35-problems/ Maybe not unreported but not well known. In any event the coating and high AOA maneuverability are serious issues.
I strongly expect that the Russians and Chinese are having similar issues with their stealth fighters, and probably worse.
J-20, J-31, Su-57. Maybe not as stealthy as ours, but 5th generation fighters. Russians cannot afford to field the Su-57 in significant numbers, but Chinese seem to be going whole hog, including carrier versions of the J-31.
