What has made the F-35 the object of virulent criticism? First and foremost, it's about cost and flight and "performance" parameters. The aircraft has been accused of being too slow and not maneuverable enough, suggesting that it makes a ridiculously easy target for older Russian Su-27 fighters. The F-35's pride was not brought by the fake air battle it fought with the F-16 last year over the Pacific. At the time, the old "hawk" defeated it. In the end, the Pentagon explained that the copy of the F-35 that took part in the test was not equipped with standard combat armament, and did not have a "stealth cloak", which increased its detectability.
F-35 aircraft for everything so in total for nothing. With underslung armaments on the outer nodes it loses "invisibility" to radar. Inside there is room for only 2 medium-range missiles. During sham combat, it has not outmaneuvered the F-16, so in this respect it is inferior to the F-15, F-18, F-22, Mig-29, Su-27, Su-30, Su-35, and Eurofighters and Rafale. It is slower to oldies such as the MiG-25 and Mig-31. Thus, as a fighter, its usefulness is highly problematic. As a support aircraft, it is too fragile and takes too few armaments, well, and it needs fighter cover if only in the form of the F-15. Overall, it is not a combat aircraft but a product whose primary purpose was to extract money. In this respect, it is the absolute record-holder and the undisputed leader.
You don't have to be at the bottom to expect care.
