Whatever you’ve read recently about the defeat of 5th-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighters by 4th-generation Russian fighters during a simulated combat exercise in Hawaii, don’t believe it. That’s the word of F-35 program executive officer Maj. Gen. Charles Davis in a Lockheed Martin release. The pseudo news apparently has made the rounds, such as in this Sydney Morning Herald report that captures anti-JSF sentiment. Davis declared, “The reports are completely false and misleading and have absolutely no basis in fact.” Davis said that all analysis to date shows “the F-35 enjoys a significant Combat Loss Exchange Ratio advantage over the current and future air-to-air threats, to include Sukhois [Russian fighters].” He went on to say that the wargame mentioned in the various news reports did “not even address air-to-air combat effectiveness,” instead it was a table-top exercise focused on basing and force-structure vulnerabilities. The Lockheed release provides a run-down of facts refuting anti-F-35 claims.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
