Ultralight For Sale

Just a few bullshit to reality translations need to occur:

1. “These last five years of comprehensive test bed aircraft flight testing involving the mission critical radar sensor, combined with the recent flight aboard the F-35 aircraft, point to a significant maturity in capability and reduction in risk for the F-35 program.”

Translation: Because Lockmart was unable to fly the F-35 on anything resembling a normal flight test schedule, multiple blocks of development had to occur on the Catbird test bed, and only recently could they actually start testing the APG-81 in the JSF.

2. The AN/APG-81 radar detected airborne targets before the radars on the F-16 and F-18 chase planes, said Leavitt. Radar and electronic warfare fusion was also observed on the first flights.

Translation: Pretty much every legacy fighter that has transitioned from mechanical scanning conventional radar to AESA has observed this improvement (big deal).

3. “I've flown a number of AESA's and this is the smoothest one out of the box,” said David 'Doc' Nelson, Lockheed Martin F-35 test pilot.

Translation: Another blue sky statement from the program that's championed the use of techno-babble marketing gibberish unsubstantiated by any documentation or proof.

4. “as well as infrared day and night vision which is projected directly onto the pilot's helmet visor for a fully spherical view around the aircraft”

Translation: Which will be useful when LM actually can build and fly a battle ready F-35 with all its special capabilities (DAS, EOTS, etc) actually working outside a PowerPoint slide (years from now).