Air Force To Arm F-35 Fighters With Its Own Weapon Systems

[webfact]

Two F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters flying together. Photo: Heavybomber.com

 

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

 

THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems aboard US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters which will be procured in the future, according to air force chief-of-staff ACM Panpakdee Pattanakul.

 

The air force chief-of-staff has confirmed that the air force currently has airborne weapon systems at its disposal and will equip the Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighters with them in the years to come. A couple of F-35 jets are being sought as a startup batch to be followed by several others in the future.

 

Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe

 

ACM Panpakdee did not name a specific type or make of the air force’s airborne weapon systems to be installed aboard the sought-after F-35 Lightning II fighters but confirmed that the air force’s armament will be primarily suitable for such highly manoeuvrable combat aircraft.

 

Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2022/06/02/air-force-to-arm-f-35-fighters-with-its-own-weapon-systems/

 

-- © Copyright  THAI NEWSROOM 2022-06-04

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more!

[smedly]

let me interpret that

 

 

The US is not willing to sell Thailand an F35 - they can have a replica which might look like an F35 sort of - in shape only, I would be very skeptical that they would even get that, there is absolutely no way the US would supply technology like that to Thailand ..................... dream on

[Orinoco]

This will be about right for them.

Thailand's top weapon's system.

Just got to remember to roll down the window before firing.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by Orinoco

[1duckyboy]

 

 

"THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems aboard US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters which will be procured in the future,"

 

"He assured that the air force will certainly be able to procure airborne weapon systems suitable for the future fighters."

 

"The air force chief-of-staff has confirmed that the air force currently has airborne weapon systems at its disposal and will equip the Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighters with them in the years to come."

 

The Chinese are going to love climbing around those F35s fitting their weapon systems on them even though they stole most of the plane's plans with spyware years ago. 

 

[rwill]

I wouldn't want a durian bomb falling on my head.

[ezzra]

For those in the F35 cockpit i wish and pray for them NOT to be in a situation whereby they will have to use those 'home made' weapons, Really Thai air force? you fork out the huge sums to buy the planes but you go for home made ammo? its' like buying a top class Ferrari and fitting it with your own home made tyres...

[Andycoops]

The Thais have been told to buy F35s by their Peking masters so they can arrive and dismantled them and see how it all works.

The US would be bonkers to allow such a sale.

Thailand does not make fighter cannon or missiles so cannot arm them.

It does have some indigenous electronic systems capabilities but that's all, they are used on the Saab 340s and Gripen fighters.

[vandeventer]

8 minutes ago, rwill said:

I wouldn't want a durian bomb falling on my head.

Does it really matter what weapons you put in the F-35's if you only have two jets?

[mrfill]

Lock in the som tam missiles.....

[mania]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems aboard US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters which will be procured in the future

Oh come on!

These are the same guys that tried a few years ago to stop Bangkok flooding by backing up some motor boats & revving the engines trying to hold back the waters

 

Yet these same nimrods will now design weaponry for something as sophisticated as an F35?

 

Truth is more likely they will try to buy weapons off Aliexpress (aka China) USA better throw this deal into reverse pronto

 

[timkeen08]

Baang Fai???  They've just been practicing.

[hotchilli]

27 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Does it really matter what weapons you put in the F-35's if you only have two jets?

Probably going for the BB gun option.

[IAMHERE]

I'd imagine the Russian buddies would assist in reverse engineering up some suitable weapons systems, just give them a week or two to study those F-35's.  Heck, friendly Chines pals will be glad to help. 

USA is dumb as rocks if they let fence sitters even see a F-35.

[Excel]

54 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Does it really matter what weapons you put in the F-35's if you only have two jets?

Or pilots that have crashed more planes than have ever fought in a combat mission

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems

This has the beginnings of a joke:

a homemade gun, a ping pong bomb and a fruit paring knife walk into an F-35...

[Phuketshrew]

A couple of these under each wing should do it:

[ChrisY1]

1 hour ago, 1duckyboy said:

 

 

"THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems aboard US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters which will be procured in the future,"

 

"He assured that the air force will certainly be able to procure airborne weapon systems suitable for the future fighters."

 

"The air force chief-of-staff has confirmed that the air force currently has airborne weapon systems at its disposal and will equip the Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighters with them in the years to come."

 

The Chinese are going to love climbing around those F35s fitting their weapon systems on them even though they stole most of the plane's plans with spyware years ago. 

 

It almost sounds as though the RTAF knows what they're doing.....hilarious!

[mikebell]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

ACM Panpakdee did not name a specific type or make of the air force’s airborne weapon systems to be installed aboard the sought-after F-35 Lightning II fighters

Samurai swords and/or machetes are much favoured by taxi drivers.

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems aboard US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters

Which are? Som Tum grenades?

[Jaybott]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Probably going for the BB gun option.

Or the high pressure water cannons leftover from Song Kron.

[Taco]

Armed with Khom loi? Floating lanterns

[Jaybott]

The Air Force wants the F-35 hourly cost comparable to the F-16, historically around $22,000 per hour, but in fiscal 2020 it was up to $27,000 per hour.Dec 3, 2564 BE

 

Do they realize how much these jets cost just to operate?  Then factor in maintenance, spare part inventory etc.  What about pilot training? From what I've read, this is a difficult plane to fly; only the best of the best pilots are accepted for training and some of those pilots don't make it.

[ozimoron]

14 minutes ago, Jaybott said:

The Air Force wants the F-35 hourly cost comparable to the F-16, historically around $22,000 per hour, but in fiscal 2020 it was up to $27,000 per hour.Dec 3, 2564 BE

 

Do they realize how much these jets cost just to operate?  Then factor in maintenance, spare part inventory etc.  What about pilot training? From what I've read, this is a difficult plane to fly; only the best of the best pilots are accepted for training and some of those pilots don't make it.

You just quoted the operational cost. That cost is all up, not just gas.

 

The agreed upon reduction brings Lockheed one step closer to its stated goal of reducing the flying cost of the F-35A to $25,000 per flight hour by FY2025.

 

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/lockheed-agrees-to-30000-per-flight-hour-cost-for-f-35a-by-fy2023/145448.article

[JeffersLos]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

THE THAI AIR FORCE will manage to install its own weapon systems aboard US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters

Run, people. Run. 

[simon43]

In another career, I used to design guided weapon microwave guidance systems.  Thailand has almost zero capability in this sector.  I'll withhold further comments because it will lead to a suspension by the mods!!

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, timkeen08 said:

Baang Fai???  They've just been practicing.

Launch the Bangfai commander, sorry sir I can't reach the fuse from the cockpit.. 

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

In another career, I used to design guided weapon microwave guidance systems.  Thailand has almost zero capability in this sector.  I'll withhold further comments because it will lead to a suspension by the mods!!

There might be a way to get some capability. Let me think what that might be....

[ChaiyaTH]

Let me guess, water canons and B52 airplanes that drop water balloons during songkran. Or even better, shoot with the unsold rice in warehouses that gotten bad. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[Srikcir]

The F35A variant comes with guns.

The F35B & F35C can carry external 25mm guns underneath.

US Navy I believe uses the B/C without guns. It's a matter of lighter weight, stealth and in the case of the B VTOL.

The F35 was designed as a stealth ground attack aircraft Navy. 

Thailand would do better to buy Gripens.

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

The F35A variant comes with guns.

The F35B & F35C can carry external 25mm guns underneath.

US Navy I believe uses the B/C without guns. It's a matter of lighter weight, stealth and in the case of the B VTOL.

The F35 was designed as a stealth ground attack aircraft Navy. 

Thailand would do better to buy Gripens.

There is also a great deal to distinguish them, most notably that the F-35 is a fifth generation fighter while the Gripen E is a modernisation of the fourth generation Gripen and is considered a ‘4+ generation’ design. Where the F-35 was developed under the world’s largest weapons program, and it is expected that over 2000 will be built despite possible deep cuts, the Gripen E is unlikely to see more than 200 airframes built with limited orders from the Swedish Air Force and only one success on export markets. 

 

https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/swedens-lightweight-gripene-vs-americas-stealthy-f35a-pros-cons