Top Secret... but FRICKIN AWESOME!!!

BigGunna · Post by **BigGunna** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 2:58 pm

Remember how I always wanted to be a fighter jock? I still do but I've managed to keep those dreams on the ground. Well the F-14 Tomcat has been around since the late 70's. This might be it's replacement.

<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~barqs50/secret.jpg" width="500" height="331" />

Post by **Buzzman25** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 3:43 pm

It's not really top secret, it's been out for a few years.

When they were testing them they were called the YF-22's.

These planes will be in majority use in all the services, they won't completely replace the jets we have now, but these will be easier for all services because they will all use basically the same parts to run. This is so that no matter where any US Soldier lands their plane they can be serviced by all services.

The Navy planes will be able to take off from cruisers, marines will have vertical take-off, and the Air Force will have the basic YF-22 standard issue.

Edit Gunz: Cruisers? WTF DUDE! Remember your ship designations? Carrier... CARRIER/

BigGunna · Post by **BigGunna** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 4:22 pm

*LOUDASS INCORRECT BUZZER SOND*

Oh... I'm sorry Buzz the correct answer is. Dude that is frickin cool.

The F-22 looks like this. No longer the YF-22 (Y=prototype)

They tried to make a VTOL version for the Marines but I don't think they could configure the existing Harrier engines for them. The Navy may still get some to replace the F-18. But as you can see plainly see this is NOT the F-22. I don't know what the hell it is yet but it's not a Raptor. Check out the styling cues. The most obvious are the swept wing design that is probably adjustable like the Tomcats. The second is the engine configuration.

Fvolfrine · Post by **Fvolfrine** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:59 am

well, since the picture Gunna posted is no longer showing, I'll take a shot in the dark to guess that you are talking about the F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Here is the link to it's website: http://www.jsf.mil/IEFrames.htm, as well as a picture of it:

If that is, indeed, what you are both referreing to, then yes, Gunna, the Marines were able to develop a version with VTOL (now known as VSTOL). This was one of their main requirements in developing the aircraft, and the new VSTOL units are amazing (there are a lot of cool videos floating around the internet of it, or just shoot me an IM and I'll send you some)

I think the Navy and Marines will refer to it as the F-38, which is a modified version of the Air Force and Army F-35 (modified to be able to land on an aircraft carrier).

Here's another cool factoid - the area where the Marines installed the VSTOL unit takes up a TON of room in the aircraft right behind the pilot's seat. Without getting into classified info, the Air Force is now looking into the possibility of using that extra room to install a laser that would shoot down missiles and other aircraft. That's right, I said it, a damn laser! A "la-ser"!

BigGunna · Post by **BigGunna** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:18 pm

Lasers? ... Sweet.

Fvolfrine · Post by **Fvolfrine** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 6:30 am

is that the aircraft you were talking about? The JSF/F-35?

BigGunna · Post by **BigGunna** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 3:21 pm

Nope that wasn't it, But friggin lasers?

Fvolfrine · Post by **Fvolfrine** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 4:26 pm

yup, friggin lasers. but not lasers like you see in Star Wars, that stuff is still a few years off.

man the stories i could tell you guys...

if you find a picture of the plane you were talking about, post a picture of it, i am curious as to what all the fuss was about