The last story I linked had some specs on the USA v. Iran. One was about the air power of each country. They sold the F-35 as some super-duper TIE Fighter of the future. Here’s the truth:

But startling reports by trade publication Defense News on Wednesday revealed flaws that previously only builder Lockheed Martin, the military, and the plane’s foreign buyers knew about.

The newly-exposed problems underscore the potential fragility of American air power as the armed services work to replace more and more old fighters with as many as 2,300 F-35s while also reconfiguring to confront the increasingly deadly Chinese and Russian air forces.

The problems might also help to explain why acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan reportedly described the F-35 program as “fucked up.”

…

…“It is infeasible for the Navy or Marine Corps to operate the F-35 against a near-peer threat under such restrictions,” Defense News paraphrased the documents as saying.

The test reports Defense News obtained also reveal a second, previously little-known category 1 deficiency in the F-35B and F-35C aircraft. If during a steep climb the fighters exceed a 20-degree “angle of attack”—the angle created by the wing and the oncoming air—they could become unstable and potentially uncontrollable.

To prevent a possible crash, pilots must avoid steeply climbing and other hard maneuvers. “Fleet pilots agreed it is very difficult to max perform the aircraft” in those circumstances, Defense News quoted the documents as saying.

The implications are chilling. In a dogfight with a Russian or Chinese jet that can exceed a 20-degree angle of attack, an American flying and F-35 could be at a serious disadvantage.

In other words, it’s a $400 Billion brick that’s too heavy to even toss at an enemy. I think the acting  SEC-DEF’s vulgarity is spot on. Just another example of American superiority. Don’t think the Russians, Chinese, and Iranians haven’t already seen this. But! It’s not that bad. So what if our planes aren’t airworthy, melt in the sky, or creep along at a Wright Brother’s speed? America has a mighty strength! So says the corrupt manufacturer:

Diversity and inclusion are the foundation of our culture, and reflect our values of doing what’s right, respecting others and performing with excellence. By leveraging our employees’ unique talents and experiences, we deliver innovative, affordable solutions and unparalleled customer value.

And, that explains that.