“In Asia, the fighter’s hi-tech sensors are particularly useful in detecting and identifying potential threats beyond the horizon.”
F35 fighters flew into Okinawa on Monday, making them the first Air Force models deployed in the region. Analysts suggest this is an additional show of force towards North Korea ahead of Trump’s visit next month. This builds upon the three currently carriers stationed in the region (including one based in Japan). On top of that, China put the J20, their newest fighter and competition to the F35, into mass production. These developments represent the continued action and counter reaction in the region, as well as difficulties in fielding new units.
The F35 is the new powerful 5th generation fighter that is supposed to meet the needs of every branch of the military through its variants yet it is still plagued with problems. Recently, the fighter struggled through a horrible week with cost overruns, cyber-security concerns, and pilot hypoxia.
In Asia, the fighter’s hi-tech sensors are particularly useful in detecting and identifying potential threats beyond the horizon. They can network with other planes, and even Aegis cruisers to engage the targets before they can use their weapons.
This is particularly suited to countering China’s strategy. They plan to swarm American assets with faster and more stealthy missiles to overwhelm American defenses and sink their ships. The idea is to make it so costly and dangerous to operate in the region that China could absorb Taiwan or aggressively pursue their interests in the South China Sea without American interference.
The limited funding for the program and mismatched priorities has created a severe shortage of parts to the point that just under a quarter of all active F35s are grounded due to lack of spare parts.
In pursuit of this objective, the Chinese are building new and advanced fighters like the J-20. Like the F35, they want it to be a stealth fighter that can locate and engage targets beyond the missile range of their enemies. The refueling planes used by the gas guzzling F35s are a particularly sensitive target in this regard. But like the F35, the J20 has its own issues. The stealth capability, maneuverability, and fuel efficiency are all suspect on a plane that analysts haven’t seen in combat yet.
The F35 was the subject of reports last week detailing its astonishing maintenance problems. The limited funding for the program and mismatched priorities has created a severe shortage of parts to the point that just under a quarter of all active F35s are grounded due to lack of spare parts. This doesn’t include grounding due to other maintenance issues such as pilots not getting the proper amount of oxygen. The life cycle costs to maintain the fighter have subsequently skyrocketed and reinforce the perception of the fighter being plagued by issues that negate its potential advantages.
Like most government programs, every success and promise of future success is accompanied by delays, cost overruns, and mismanagement. The Air Force and Marine Corps now have F35 variants deployed overseas. The fighters have incredible promise, and represent responses to threats in the region from a nuclear North Korea or aggressive China with new and more advanced fighters. Only time will tell how successful the F35 will be, but the message from current news remains mixed but potent.
