Air Power Australia and Low-Observability

[Tico90]

After looking around the forums, I've gotten the feeling that APA doesn't exactly get much love around here. I was checking out the pages on their site, and I found an interesting little gem on low-observable aircraft.

According to APA, the outer mold line on the F-35 has a "catastrophic" effect on the radar cross section of the F-35 -- according to APA, it makes it completely un-stealthy.

This is an interesting revelation, as the same outer mold line can be observed on every other low-observable aircraft.

APA's "analysis" on low-observability is also amusing because they analyze the J-20 and completely ignore the canards and non-serrated engine nozzles (as well as the F-35 style outer mold line), and declare it to be an extremely low-observable aircraft, with a level of observability approaching that of the F-22.

APA also states that long-range missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM would be useless in an air-to-air combat, but then says that Russian aircraft have a major advantage because their R-77 missile has a maximum range of 160 kilometers, versus the AIM-120C, with a maximum range of 105 kilometers. Apparently, APA considers long-range missiles to be useless, unless of course they are Russian.

It seems that Air Power Australia has a bit of a double standard...

 

[SpudmanWP]

APA's new tagline

Attached:
View attachment 5979

 

[StobieWan]

Yeah - just think, all the time and money Lockmart wasted trying to model RCS values when they could have just squinted at a web image and went "yup, that's LO alrighty"
APA's bias is well noted on this site

 

[Feanor]

Ah APA. The best source of information if you want to know nothing about everything, military-adjacent.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Yeah - just think, all the time and money Lockmart wasted trying to model RCS values when they could have just squinted at a web image and went "yup, that's LO alrighty"
APA's bias is well noted on this site

The US never needed to set up RCS pole test sites either - they could have saved all that money and just used image search in google.

Although, to be fair, I think Carlo has settled down somewhat, he's certainly worked out that lower personal visibility is better for credibility.

The sad thing is that for all their internet bluster, they still haven't worked out that their credibility is shot amongst those who count.

Nobody in those critical decision making roles cares about what is generated on the internet, forums, blogs, etc..... be they pro or anti.

 

[colay]

IIRC, APA also conceded that they never factored in their analysis the effect of RAM since they had zero access to this information. GIGO.

 

[King Wally]

Honestly there's only one thing that will silence APA style critics and that's sending the F-35 into hot combat and seeing the results.

I'm quietly confident you will in practice see exponential win ratio's the day that happens but until that point I guess we have to put up with the skeptics.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Honestly there's only one thing that will silence APA style critics and that's sending the F-35 into hot combat and seeing the results.

that won't stop them

this is a long term idealogical battle for a whole pile of APA supporters and they've painted themselves into a corner

they can't afford to lose face and will still be carrying on in 30 years time

the advice I was usefully given many years ago was disengage and ignore them. as a result I no longer get stalked like I used to be.

 

[Todjaeger]

Honestly there's only one thing that will silence APA style critics and that's sending the F-35 into hot combat and seeing the results.

I'm quietly confident you will in practice see exponential win ratio's the day that happens but until that point I guess we have to put up with the skeptics.

There are several ways to silence APA contributors and their ilk, a ball gag and/or duct tape come to mind immediately...

Realistically though, they are not going to stop until either they are dead, or realize that even to the public at large they have no credibility. Unfortunately the no public credibility circumstance is likely not going to occur until towards the twilight years of the F-35 service life.

Incidentally, why are we giving those jokers any more attention? We already know that they are not worth paying attention to, since they make pronouncements about kit capabilities which they cannot actually know. This thread is giving them more oxygen than they deserve (or need).

 

[the road runner]

APA should be hired by the Government and used to run a Psychological Operation against our enemy's. They could feed false info ,they seem to be good at that job,so why not use them for the greater good.

APA and crew are the reason i stopped buying Defence mags as Kopp and co were writing for them.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Closed.

Sensible advice acted upon (CREF Todjaeger)